The 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025) is at the core of the Chinese mainland's strategy to turn external shocks into opportunities for long-term upgrading. Over the past five years, authorities have accelerated innovation, expanded digital infrastructure and pursued a green transformation — all while maintaining social stability.
“Few countries manage such a balance,” says Michael Schumann, chairman of the German Federal Association for Economic Development and Foreign Trade. In a recent interview, he described this period as “resilient transformation, where challenges became catalysts for modernization.”
Schumann has visited the Chinese mainland three times this year, most memorably exploring a state-of-the-art electric vehicle plant in Beijing. “The level of automation and efficiency here reflects the strong momentum of industrial innovation,” he notes, highlighting how the plan’s consistent implementation and skilled talent pool drive results.
Central to this model is a shift toward “new quality productive forces” — a concept that moves growth away from low-cost labor and toward advanced technologies, green energy, digital platforms and human capital. This approach doesn’t just reshape domestic industries; it recalibrates the global growth engine toward sustainability and shared prosperity.
One striking example is the China-Europe Railway Express, which now operates thousands of cargo trains annually. By linking cities like Duisburg with inland hubs, the service has transformed local economies, built trust and reinforced the Chinese mainland's commitment to openness amid rising global protectionism.
As the Chinese mainland looks ahead to its 15th Five-Year Plan, expectations center on deeper cooperation in climate technology, sustainable finance and global governance reform. For Schumann, “I expect to see a China that is even greener, more innovative and more connected to the world — a China that continues to foster stability and shared prosperity.”
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Five-Year Plan is beating heart of China's dynamic development model
cgtn.com
