Key Message amid 15th FYP Planning: Focus on 'Real Economy' & 'Practical Action'
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition from Tuesday, October 21, 2025.
Page 1: Let’s begin with the appointment of new ambassadors. Xinhua says:
Yu Jinsong was appointed ambassador to Morocco, replacing Li Changlin.
Chen Feng was appointed ambassador to Romania, replacing Han Chunlin.
Jiang Xiaoyan was appointed ambassador to North Macedonia, replacing Zhang Zuo.
Zhang Zuo was appointed ambassador to Malta, replacing Yu Dunhai.
Yang Shu was appointed ambassador to Grenada, replacing Wei Hongtian.
Sun Xiangyang was appointed ambassador to Ecuador, replacing Chen Guoyou.
Li Yongjie was appointed China’s permanent representative and ambassador to the World Trade Organization, as well as China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, replacing Li Chenggang.
The last one of these has received a lot of attention, given that Li Chenggang was at the centre of US-China trade negotiations. But the fact is that Li has not been demoted. He actually enjoys a full ministerial rank as China’s International Trade Representative, a position he was appointed to in April.
Next, there’s an article featuring Xi Jinping’s concerns around protecting the foundation of the “real economy.” This is a great indictor of what we can expect as the focus of the 15th FYP. It is the real economy or manufacturing that remains the focus of Chinese economic policy. There is no wavering from that. Moreover, Beijing is not keen to let go of traditional industries either. Rather it would like to retain them and enhance productivity through the infusion of new quality productive forces.
The piece begins with this quote from Xi from 2017: “A country must make the correct strategic choices. Our country is a large country, and it must develop the real economy, continuously advance industrial modernisation, and improve the level of manufacturing. We must not shift from the real economy to the virtual economy.” “一个国家一定要有正确的战略选择，我国是个大国，必须发展实体经济，不断推进工业现代化、提高制造业水平，不能脱实向虚.”
The article reads:
Recently, Henan Luoyang Bearing Group Co., Ltd. has been a scene of busy activity; from millimeter-sized to over ten-meter-sized bearings, various types have been rolling off the production line one after another. ‘We have adhered to the path of independently developing our real economy and relying on our own strength to develop our industry and manufacturing. This is the right path!’ General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his inspection of Luoyang Bearings in May this year. This enterprise, which originated during the period of the First Five-Year Plan, has focused deeply on bearings for over 70 years. Once, high-end products were ‘out of reach’, but today, high-end bearings account for 70% of the company’s output value. Examining carefully, stopping from time to time to inquire, General Secretary Xi Jinping said to the workers who had gathered around: ‘Manufacturing is a key pillar of the national economy. To advance Chinese-style modernisation, we must maintain a reasonable proportion of manufacturing.’ Two months later, in Shanxi, the General Secretary walked into the century-old enterprise, Yangquan Valve Co., Ltd. In 1924, the predecessor of Yangquan Valve, the ‘Yongju’ workshop, was born alongside the development of coal resources. Over 100 years of development, it has gone through many ups and downs. Since the new era, Yangquan Valve has continuously opened new tracks through technological innovation. The transformation of the century-old factory condenses a chapter of the history of national industry. General Secretary Xi Jinping was deeply moved: ‘The nation prospers through real industry, the country thrives through solid work,’ ‘the real economy cannot be neglected’. 这段时间，河南洛阳轴承集团股份有限公司一派繁忙，从毫米级到10余米级，各类轴承接连下线。“我们坚持走自主发展实业的道路，靠自己的力量发展工业、制造业，这条路是走对了！”今年5月，习近平总书记在洛轴考察时指出。这家从“一五”走来的企业，70多年紧盯轴承深耕细作。曾经，高端产品“摸不着、碰不到”，如今，洛轴高端轴承产值占比达70%。细细察看，不时驻足询问，习近平总书记对围拢过来的企业职工说：“制造业是国民经济的重要支柱，推进中国式现代化必须保持制造业合理比重。”两个月后，赴三晋大地，总书记走进百年老厂阳泉阀门股份有限公司。1924年，阳阀的前身“永巨”作坊伴着煤炭资源开发而生。百年发展，几经跌宕。新时代以来，阳阀不断以技术创新开辟新赛道。百年老厂的蜕变，浓缩了一部民族工业的历史。习近平总书记深有感触：“实业兴国，实干兴邦”“实体经济不能丢”.
“…the foundation of the real economy must be further solidified. To ‘solidify’ requires the determination that ‘we must develop the real economy’. ‘Hand-tearable steel’ is the ‘crown jewel’ of the steel industry. In May 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping praised the ‘hand-tearable steel’ developed by Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel Precision Strip Co., Ltd., saying, ‘Steel refined a hundred times has become soft enough to wrap around a finger.’ In recent years, ‘hand-tearable steel’ has continued to upgrade, getting thinner and thinner, with its thickness reduced from 0.02 mm to 0.015 mm. ‘This year, we successfully achieved mass production of the thinnest ‘hand-tearable steel,’ said company general manager Duan Haojie. Founded in 1934, Taigang produced China’s first furnace of stainless steel, first sheet of hot-rolled silicon steel, and first block of electromagnetic pure iron. Through its persistence, Taigang has striven to uphold the steel backbone of the nation.”
“To ‘solidify’ also requires the perseverance to ‘single-minded focus on the real economy.’ When some enterprises believe that ‘running physical entities has low profits’ and ‘capital operations make money fast’, unwilling to bury their heads down to ‘grind an iron pestle into a needle’, the General Secretary instructed ‘to do the real economy, one must do it honestly, with full focus on one’s core business.’
战略定，方向明，使命清晰：推进中国式现代化，必须进一步夯实实体经济这个根基。“夯实”，要有“必须发展实体经济”的定力。“手撕钢”，钢铁工业“皇冠上的明珠”。2020年5月，习近平总书记称赞山西太钢不锈钢精密带钢有限公司研发的“手撕钢”：“百炼钢做成了绕指柔”。近年来，“手撕钢”持续升级，一薄再薄，厚度从0.02毫米降至0.015毫米。“今年，我们成功实现最薄‘手撕钢’量产。”公司总经理段浩杰说。始建于1934年，生产出我国第一炉不锈钢、第一张热轧硅钢片、第一块电磁纯铁，太钢以自身的坚守，奋力挺起钢铁脊梁。“夯实”，要有“心无旁骛做实业”的坚守。当一些企业认为“办实体利润低”“资本运作来钱快”，不肯再埋头“铁杵磨成针”时，总书记叮嘱“做实体经济，要实实在在、心无旁骛地做一个主业”.
Carbon-plate running shoes favoured by marathoners weigh only 160 grams per shoe; T-shirts made from ‘louver-like’ bionic materials automatically form ventilation holes when in contact with sweat… Enterprises in Jinjiang, Fujian, have kept these instructions firmly in mind, staying committed to industries such as textiles, footwear, and food. They focus on ‘a pair of shoes’ and ‘a piece of clothing,’ improving quality, creating brands, and expanding product lines, thereby building one world-class industrial cluster after another. 备受马拉松选手青睐的碳板跑鞋，单只重量仅160克；用“百叶窗”仿生材料制作的T恤，接触汗水后面料自动形成通风孔……福建晋江企业牢记嘱托，坚守纺织、鞋服、食品等行业，聚焦“一双鞋”“一件衣”，提质量、创品牌、拓产品，打造出一个个世界级产业集群.
To ‘solidify’ further requires the boldness to ‘dare to be the first in the world’. At XCMG Group, Xi Jinping pointed out that ‘innovation is the source of an enterprise’s core competitiveness’; in Guangxi Liugong, he emphasised that ‘for high-quality development, innovation is very important; only with innovation can we become self-reliant and take the lead’…Visiting these two engineering machinery enterprises, General Secretary Xi repeatedly stressed the importance of innovation. Bearing in mind their mission, they have worked hard to innovate. From the world’s largest and tallest wind-power boom tower crane to the world’s first electric unmanned mining loader, one after another, global firsts and world records have earned these two companies market recognition. In 2024, Liugong’s overseas revenue accounted for over 45%, and XCMG ranked fourth among the world’s top 50 construction machinery manufacturers. “夯实”，更要有“敢为天下先”的气魄。在徐工集团指出“创新是企业核心竞争力的源泉”，在广西柳工强调“高质量发展，创新很重要，只有创新才能自强、才能争先”……走进两家工程机械企业，习近平总书记一再强调创新的重要性。牢记使命，奋力创新。从全球最大最高风电动臂塔机，到全球首台矿山电动无人装载机，两家企业以一款款全球首台、世界之最，赢得市场认可。2024年，柳工海外收入占比超45%，徐工蝉联全球工程机械制造商50强第四名.
The C919 large aircraft soars into the sky, domestically built cruise ships sail through the waves, and the CR450 EMU train sets lead the world… During the 14th FYP period, our country, adapting to local conditions, has developed new quality productive forces, advancing through innovation and winning through quality, promoting the high-quality development of the real economy. With a long-term vision and a clear path, the real economy is thriving, and the ‘foundation for establishing and strengthening the nation’ is being steadily consolidated step by step. C919大飞机直冲云霄，国产邮轮破浪远航，CR450动车组领跑全球……“十四五”时期，我国因地制宜发展新质生产力，向新发力，以质取胜，推动实体经济高质量发展。眼光长远，路径清晰，实体经济茁壮成长，“立国之本、强国之基”一步步夯实.
One answer sheet is written on the vertical axis of the time dimension. Manufacturing is the most important part of the real economy. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, China’s industrial added value has increased from 31.3 trillion yuan to 40.5 trillion yuan, and the overall scale of manufacturing has ranked first in the world for 15 consecutive years, with its role as the ‘ballast stone’ becoming even more prominent. Business entities are the cells of the national economy. At present, China has more than 63 million enterprises, including 504,000 high-tech enterprises, over 140,000 “specialised, refined, distinctive, and innovative’ SMEs, and 14,600 ‘little giant’ enterprises. The integrated development of large, medium, and small enterprises continues to enhance the resilience of the real economy. 一份答卷，写在时间维度的纵轴里。制造业，实体经济的重中之重。“十四五”以来，我国工业增加值从31.3万亿元增至40.5万亿元，制造业总体规模连续15年全球第一，“压舱石”作用更加凸显。经营主体，国民经济的细胞。目前，我国拥有超6300万家企业。其中，高新技术企业50.4万家，专精特新中小企业超14万家，“小巨人”企业1.46万家。大中小企业融通发展，实体经济韧性持续增强.
One answer sheet is written on the horizontal axis of the global perspective. The added value of China’s manufacturing has contributed more than 30% to global manufacturing growth; in 2024, China once again became the world’s largest automobile exporter, and exports of the ‘three new items’ exceeded one trillion yuan… By keeping this foundation of the real economy, China’s industrial international competitiveness has further improved, firmly grasping the initiative in development. 一份答卷，写在全球视角的横轴里。制造业增加值对全球制造业增长贡献率超过30%；2024年蝉联全球最大汽车出口国，“新三样”产品出口突破万亿元……守好实体经济这个根基，我国产业国际竞争力进一步提升，牢牢把握住了发展主动权.
“Our country’s economy started by relying on the real economy, and must also rely on the real economy to move toward the future.” “我国经济是靠实体经济起家的，也要靠实体经济走向未来.”
Also on the front page is a Ren Ping commentary, talking about the importance of practicality or being based in reality in the new era.
“A passage of only just over 100 characters, the character ‘实’ (real/practical) appears 10 times: ‘The great way is extremely simple; what matters is practical action. The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams. There are no shortcuts, only practical work. One must be down-to-earth, bury one’s head in hard work, not gallop after empty fantasies, not chase after hollow voices; one must be sincere and diligent in learning, respect reality, not go against laws and principles, and not act blindly or recklessly; one must seek truth from facts, focus on practical results, not do superficial things, and not engage in flowery fists and embroidered legs (花拳绣腿 superficial actions with no real substance). Those who act, accomplish; those who walk, arrive; history will not let down practical workers. We created a glorious past through practical work, and we must also rely on practical work to create an even better future.’
Some commentators believe that this important speech by General Secretary Xi Jinping at the 2023 Spring Festival group greeting is an essay on the character 实 for the new era. ‘Advocating practical work, firmly grasping implementation’ is a distinctive characteristic of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is a key to decoding the historic achievements and transformations of the new era, and is directional guidance for ‘using new great struggles to create new great undertakings’ on the new journey. China is a large country with a population of over 1.4 billion, ‘if one wants development, one must rely on oneself to work hard and work practically.’ The Chinese people possess great dreams, and even more possess the great spirit of enduring hardship and working hard and practically to realize great dreams. Chinese-style modernization is achieved through hard work; all great undertakings are accomplished through practical action!’ The new era’s essay on the character 实 lies in faith, in character, in method, and in results.” 一段只有100多字的话，“实”字出现了10次：“大道至简，实干为要。新征程是充满光荣和梦想的远征，没有捷径，唯有实干。要脚踏实地，埋头苦干，不驰于空想，不骛于虚声；要笃实好学，尊重实际，不违背规律，不盲目蛮干；要求真务实，注重实效，不做表面文章，不耍花拳绣腿。为者常成，行者常至，历史不会辜负实干者。我们靠实干创造了辉煌的过去，还要靠实干开创更加美好的未来.” 有评论认为，习近平总书记在2023年春节团拜会上的这段重要讲话，是一篇新时代“实”字说。“崇尚实干、狠抓落实”是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的一个鲜明特点，是解码新时代历史性成就和变革的一把钥匙，是新征程上“用新的伟大奋斗创造新的伟业”的方向指引。中国是一个有着14亿多人口的大国，“想发展就要靠自己苦干实干”。中国人民拥有伟大梦想，更拥有为实现伟大梦想而吃苦耐劳、苦干实干的伟大精神。“中国式现代化是干出来的，伟大事业都成于实干！”新时代“实”字说，实，在信念，在品质，在方法，在结果。
The second section of the article talks about the importance of proceeding from reality in all things.
The theory of the Party in the New Era explains not only how to understand issues but also how to act on them. It not only assigns the mission of “crossing the river” but also guides how to resolve the question of whether to use ‘a bridge or a boat’. This reflects the distinct feature of the Party’s innovative theory in the New Era, i..e, its unity of principle and application, where clear theoretical foundations are closely linked with practical effectiveness. From proposing in April 2013 the pursuit of ‘real, solid GDP without any padding’, to emphasizing in December 2024 the need to ‘unify qualitative, effective improvement and reasonable quantitative growth throughout the entire process of high-quality development,’ the idea of practicality runs as a red thread through the new development philosophy. Pursuing development that is efficient, of quality, and sustainable, no longer simply judging success by GDP growth rates, each region and department has found its strategic positioning within the national overall framework. The whole country functions as one chessboard, complementing each other’s strengths with a clear structure; the momentum for high-quality development is accumulating and strong. 实，在信念。崇实，坚持一切从实际出发。既讲怎么看又讲怎么干，既部署“过河”的任务又指导解决“桥或船”的问题，新时代党的创新理论具有明体达用、体用贯通的鲜明特征。从2013年4月提出“追求实实在在、没有水分的生产总值”，到2024年12月强调“把质的有效提升和量的合理增长统一于高质量发展的全过程”，实是贯穿新发展理念的一条红线。追求有效益、有质量、可持续的发展，不再简单以国内生产总值增长率论英雄，各地区各部门找准在全国大局中的战略定位，全国一盘棋优势互补、格局分明，高质量发展势能积聚、动能强劲.
The article also says that under Xi, decision-making takes practicality as its premise and implementation takes practicality as its requirement. On implementation, the author offers this advice:
“‘Environmental conditions are changing at all times, at every moment one will encounter new situations and new problems,’ organically combining the principled nature of strategy and the flexibility of tactics, adapting to circumstances as they arise, making decisions at the critical moment, only then can one grasp strategic initiative in moving because of the situation and acting in accordance with the trend.” “环境条件随时都在发生变化，每时每刻都会遇到新情况新问题”，把战略的原则性和策略的灵活性有机结合，随机应变、临机决断，才能在因势而动、顺势而为中把握战略主动.
The quality of being practical/real resides in one’s character. One must be earnest and solid; in planning matters be real, in being entrepreneurial be real in conducting oneself. 实，在品质。笃实，谋事要实、创业要实、做人要实.
“Taking the Party’s political construction as the guiding principle, always achieving ‘Three Stricts and Three Earnests’, ‘live as long as you learn, learn as long as you live, and cultivate yourself as long as you live’ only then will there be strong Party spirit. To ‘speak honestly, do honest things, and be an honest person’ is fundamentally expressed through concrete actions of loyalty to the Party and service to the people.” 以党的政治建设为统领，始终做到“三严三实”，“活到老、学到老、修养到老”，才有坚强党性。“说老实话、办老实事、做老实人”，关键体现为对党忠诚、造福人民的实际行动.
“One must not only look at what people say, but more importantly at what they do. ‘All thinking and behaviour that is not thinking of progress, mediocre governance and lazy governance, protecting oneself wisely, muddling through—are completely incompatible with the masses’ expectations, with the new demands of the new era.” 不仅要看怎么说，更要看怎么做。“一切不思进取、庸政怠政、明哲保身、得过且过的思想和行为都是同人民群众期盼、同新时代新要求格格不入的.”
The author also emphasises the importance of doing “visible, tangible, and beneficial to the people”. This is because “adhering closely to the people’s hearts is the greatest form of politics, and always maintaining the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the people, thinking together with the people and working together with the people, is the only way to create new historic achievements.” 紧扣民心这个最大的政治，始终保持党同人民群众的血肉联系，同人民想在一起、干在一起，才能创造新的历史伟业.
The fourth section talks about consulting with people and carrying out research and investigation so that policies are not divorced from reality, while the final section calls for ensuring tangible benefits to people. It calls on cadres and officials to become “steadfast doers and practitioners of Chinese-style modernisation.”
Page 2: There’s a report informing that Chen Junsheng has been appointed deputy director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, replacing Liu Xiaonan. Wang Linggui, meanwhile, has been removed from the post of deputy director of the State Council Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office.
Page 3: There’s a brief report informing that the guided-missile destroyer Baotou from the 47th Chinese naval escort task force arrived at the Port of Mombasa on Saturday for a port call.