Xi's Explanation & Recommendations for 15th FYP - Wang Yi Speaks to Japan's Motegi - China & ASEAN Upgrade FTA - NPCSC Revises Maritime Law & Cybersecurity Law
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People’s Daily’s edition from Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
Page 1: The Proposal document that was agreed upon during the fourth plenum was released by Chinese state media, along with Xi Jinping’s explanation. English versions of these documents are available via Xinhua.
Let’s begin with Xi’s explanation (English version). First, here’s a nutshell version of the drafting process:
In January this year, the Political Bureau decided that the 20th Central Committee would discuss recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan at its fourth plenary session. A group was then established for the purpose of drafting the recommendations under the auspices of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau. I was chief of this group, while my colleagues Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, and Ding Xuexiang served as its deputy chiefs. The group also included heads of relevant departments and localities. On February 11, the group convened its first meeting, after which the drafting work officially began.
In late February, the Central Committee organized six teams to conduct research projects in 12 provincial-level regions. Meanwhile, it requested certain central Party and state departments to conduct research on 35 key topics.
On April 30, I presided over a symposium in Shanghai on economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period for certain provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government. Thereafter, I entrusted Comrade Li Qiang with presiding over three separate symposiums for the economic community, the scientific and technological community, and representatives from the primary level. We also solicited opinions online, receiving more than three million comments, which were then sorted through and condensed into over 1,500 suggestions.
“On August 4, a draft document was issued to certain Party members, including some retired senior Party officials, for consultation. Opinions were also sought from the central committees of other political parties, leaders of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and prominent figures without party affiliation. From the feedback we received, it is clear that the draft document has the full endorsement of all consulted localities and departments. There is unanimous agreement that it accurately defines the historical stage that the cause of the Party and the country will enter in the 15th Five-Year Plan period, provides a thorough analysis of the profound and complex changes in China’s development environment, and sets out a top-level design and strategic plan for our development over the next five years.”
In total, we made 218 additions, revisions, and simplifications to the document based on 452 opinions and suggestions. During the drafting process, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau met three times and the Political Bureau convened on two occasions to review and revise draft versions of the document.
Xi further says:
“Throughout the drafting process, we have adhered to the following points. First, staying oriented toward both goals and problems. Maintaining the basic orientation of consolidating foundations and pressing ahead on all fronts, we have made systematic plans with the aim of putting China on firmer foundations for basically achieving socialist modernization and developed robust, well-ordered, and effective measures to address inadequacies and shore up weaknesses with a focus on the new trends in the once-in-a-century global transformation and the prominent problems in our development. Second, applying systems thinking. We have made a comprehensive plan for all aspects of economic and social development and Party building in view of the requirement to implement the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy in a coordinated way. Third, further deepening reform comprehensively. We have taken reform as a means to both resolve the difficulties arising during development and generate greater development momentum and vitality. Fourth, opening wider to the outside world. We have highlighted the need to coordinate the use of global production factors and market resources while pursuing development through our own strength.”
After this, Xi makes 7 key points. First, this is how he characterised the significance of the 15th FYP, which is indicative of policy continuity
“The 20th National Party Congress set forth the goal of basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035. We have laid solid foundations for this by getting off to a good start in the first five years, which have made up the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The period covered by the 15th Five-Year Plan will be critical as we work to reinforce these foundations and push ahead on all fronts toward this goal.”
On the issue of continuity, he specifically says that the proposal document does the job of “carrying forward concepts and approaches from the 14th Five-Year Plan” and also “accurately identifies the general trends in China’s development over the next five years and outlines a general philosophy, core principles, major objectives, and strategic tasks that are both forward-looking and realistic.”
Xi also characterises the 15th FYP period as a “window of opportunity to consolidate and build on our strengths, remove development bottlenecks, shore up areas of weakness, seize the strategic initiative amid intense international competition, and secure major breakthroughs in strategic tasks of overall importance to Chinese modernization.”
Second, he emphasises that the Proposal document’s content on economic development is primarily “qualitative” in nature. That said, he does underscore the need for maintaining an “appropriate” rate of GDP growth.
“An important benchmark for basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035 is that China’s per capita GDP will be on a par with that of a mid-level developed country by that time. This dictates that we must maintain an appropriate rate of economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. On the basis of thorough research and scientific analysis, the draft document puts forward a range of important objectives, such as ensuring economy keeps growing within an appropriate range, realizing steady gains in total factor productivity, fully unleashing the potential for growth, ensuring personal incomes increase in step with economic growth and remuneration rises in tandem with labor productivity increases, and continuing to expand the middle-income group. In addition, in response to prominent issues in the current stage, such as mounting downward economic pressure and insufficient effective demand, the draft document also sets out objectives, including delivering a notable increase in the rate of consumer spending and reinforcing the role of domestic demand as the principal engine of economic growth.”
Third, Xi emphasises the importance of high-quality growth, arguing that: “To promote high-quality development, we must first and foremost intensify efforts toward achieving greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology, actively develop new quality productive forces, and deliver substantial progress and new breakthroughs in boosting scientific and technological innovation, fostering new drivers of growth, and promoting economic structural improvement and upgrading”.
Fourth, he stresses dual circulation, arguing that: “At present and for some time to come, we must work to strengthen the domestic economy and boost domestic economic flows, so as to leverage the stability of the domestic economy as a hedge against uncertainties in the international economy.”
Fifth, he turns to the idea of common prosperity. This covers “a series of balanced and accessible policies and measures to promote high-quality full employment, optimize the income distribution system, develop education that meets the people’s expectations, refine the social security system, promote high-quality development in the real estate sector, advance the Healthy China Initiative, bolster high-quality population development, and make steady efforts to ensure equitable access to basic public services.” It also covers the idea of building a spiritual civilisation based on core socialist values and addressing urban-rural disparities. (Note: I have long argued that common prosperity today is not about a new red deal or rapidly expanding social security, etc; rather it is about ensuring better quality and accessible public services, along with pathways for upward social mobility.)
Sixth, he focuses on balancing development with security. Xi says: “Over the next five years, China will see a notable rise in uncertainties and unforeseen factors, which will make the task of ensuring both development and security much harder. With a view to modernizing China’s national security system and capacity, the document recommends steps for improving the national security system, building up national security capacity in key sectors, enhancing public safety governance, and improving the social governance system. With the aim of promoting high-quality modernization of national defense and the armed forces, it proposes to speed up the development of advanced combat capabilities, modernize military governance, and consolidate and improve integrated national strategies and strategic capabilities.” (Note: This is an important assessment. It tells you that regardless of whatever you see during the Trump-Xi summit in South Korea, Beijing is of the view that the external environment will continue to worsen over the next five years.)
Okay, now let me go through the Proposal document. The document first lists achievements during the 14th FYP, saying that “we owe all these remarkable achievements to the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, which has been at the helm charting the course, and to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, which has provided sound guidance to advance our cause.”
The third section provides the assessment of China’s strategic environment in the 15th FYP:
“Relations between major countries have an important bearing on the international landscape, the dynamics of which will in turn exert a profound impact on the domestic development of every country. China is in a period of development where strategic opportunities exist alongside risks and challenges and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising. Internationally, momentous changes of a magnitude not seen in a century are unfolding across the world at a faster pace. A profound shift is taking place in the international balance of power, and breakthroughs are accelerating in the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation. All this has created positive factors enabling China to make proactive moves in the international arena and shape a favorable external environment. Meanwhile, the changes we see in the world are intertwined with disturbances, turmoil continues to mount, and geopolitical conflicts flare up all too easily and frequently. Unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise, and hegemonism and power politics pose greater threats. The international economic and trade order is facing grave challenges, and global economic growth lacks steam. Major-country rivalry is becoming more intricate and intense than ever.
Domestically, the Chinese economy has a solid foundation, advantages in many areas, strong resilience, and great potential. The conditions for and underlying trend of long-term growth remain unchanged. More and more, we are seeing the strengths of socialism with Chinese characteristics, China’s enormous market, its complete industrial system, and its abundant human resources all coming to the fore. However, development imbalances and inadequacies remain prominent. Effective demand is sluggish, and bottlenecks and obstacles are impeding economic flows. The task of transitioning to new growth drivers is formidable, and agricultural and rural modernization is lagging behind. There is considerable pressure weighing on employment and personal income growth, and gaps and weak links still exist in our work to ensure public wellbeing. Changes in China’s demographic structure pose new challenges for economic development and social governance, and risks and hidden dangers persist in some key areas.
Changes engender opportunities, and challenges bolster morale. All of us in the Party must acquire a deep understanding of the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and of establishing the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; become more conscious of the need to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, and keep in alignment with the central Party leadership; stay confident in the path, theory, system, and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics; and uphold Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership. We must maintain strategic resolve and enhance our confidence of success. We must proactively identify, respond to, and steer changes, demonstrate the courage and competence to carry forward our struggle, and dare to brave high winds, choppy waters, and even dangerous storms. We must seize the historical initiative to overcome difficulties, combat risks, and confront challenges, and focus on managing our own affairs well. We will write yet another chapter on the miracles of rapid economic growth and long-term social stability and strive to open up new horizons for Chinese modernization.”
The guiding philosophy section makes this important assertion: “We will continue to pursue economic development as our central task, with high-quality development as our main focus, reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, meeting the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life as our fundamental goal, and full and rigorous Party self-governance as the fundamental underpinning for all our efforts. We will promote higher-quality economic growth while achieving an appropriate increase in economic output and make solid headway in promoting well-rounded personal development and common prosperity for all.”
The document outlines 7 major objectives:
Significant achievements in high-quality development: This covers keeping growth “within an appropriate range”, achieving “notable increase in household consumption as a share of GDP”, ensuring that domestic demand plays “an increasingly greater role as the principal engine of economic growth”, building a unified national market, “significant progress in new industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization while working toward major breakthroughs in developing new quality productive forces, fostering a new pattern of development, and building a modernized economy.”
Substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance and strength: “We should markedly boost the overall performance of China’s innovation system and establish a basic framework for the integrated development of education, science and technology, and human resources. We should significantly strengthen our capacity for basic research and original innovation, achieve faster progress in securing breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and see that China keeps pace or even leads the way in many more fields. Full integration should be achieved between technological and industrial innovation, and innovation should play a more prominent role in driving development.”
Fresh breakthroughs in further deepening reform comprehensively: This covers “modernizing China’s system and capacity for governance,” improving the “socialist market economy, the systems and mechanisms for high-standard opening up, and the institutions, standards, and procedures for whole-process people’s democracy, and move to a higher stage in building a socialist country under the rule of law.”
Notable cultural and ethical progress across society: We should inspire greater confidence in Chinese culture among our people. Mainstream thoughts and views should enjoy stronger and more extensive support, and the core socialist values should prevail throughout society…There should be a substantial increase in the cohesion of the Chinese nation and the appeal of Chinese culture and a continued rise in China’s soft power.”
Further improvements in quality of life: “We should make new headway in promoting high-quality full employment. Personal incomes should increase in step with economic growth, and remuneration should rise in tandem with labor productivity increases. The structure of income distribution should be optimized, with the middle-income group continuing to expand. The social security system should be refined and put on a more sustainable footing, and access to basic public services should be made much more equitable.”
Major new strides in advancing the Beautiful China Initiative: Eco-friendly ways of work and life should become the norm in society, the goal of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 should be achieved as scheduled, and a new clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system should take shape. There should be a continued drop in the total discharge of major pollutants, and the diversity, stability, and sustainability of our ecosystems should be steadily enhanced.
Further advances in strengthening the national security shield: We should reinforce our system and capacity for safeguarding national security and effectively guard against and mitigate risks in key sectors. Noticeable improvements should be made in social governance and public safety governance. The centenary goals of the People’s Liberation Army should be fulfilled by 2027. Solid progress should be made in advancing the Peaceful China Initiative to a higher level.
Hereafter, the document goes into details about specific areas. For my highlights on those, you can download this PDF of the full document with my highlights and comments.
Moving on, let’s look at Li Qiang’s remarks (English text) at the 28th China-ASEAN Summit. Li said:
“Today, we look back with delight on a year of fresh progress in China-ASEAN joint endeavors. Across all areas our cooperation is flourishing. Trade has been growing steadily. The ‘ASEAN Visa’ has brought our peoples even closer. And we have just witnessed the signing of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol, heralding a new opportunity to expand and enhance our economic and trade cooperation. At the same time, we must pay attention to the new developments on the international landscape. Unilateralism and protectionism are buffeting the international economic and trade order, external interference in our region is on the rise, and many countries are slapped with unwarranted high tariffs. Development today faces greater risks and challenges. In the face of power politics and economic bullying, we will gain nothing from disunity and confrontation, and will only end up divided and conquered by external forces. The more challenging the situation, the more resolute we should be in maintaining unity and self-reliance. We must defend our legitimate rights and interests through mutual support and coordinated action, and promote steady and sound economic growth by leveraging our complementary strengths and deepening our cooperation. China is ready to work with ASEAN countries to build greater synergy, remove external disturbances, address risks and challenges together, and create a brighter future for all of us.”
Li then made three points:
First, we should further consolidate strategic mutual trust. China and ASEAN countries share similar values, and equality and harmonious coexistence are our common pursuit. We should strengthen strategic communication and properly handle differences to ensure that trust remains the defining theme of our relations. China will continue to support ASEAN in playing an active role and promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes between Cambodia and Thailand in the ASEAN way. We need to speed up consultations on the COC and strive for its early conclusion to better maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Second, we should promote deeper convergence of interests. We should take the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol as an opportunity to accelerate trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and strengthen industrial integration and interconnection. China will continue to replenish the China-ASEAN cooperation fund to support practical cooperation between the two sides. China is ready to work with ASEAN countries to establish a China-ASEAN digital academy, a platform for AI cooperation, and a center for maritime development and technological cooperation, and deepen cooperation in transportation, digital economy, green economy, disaster prevention and mitigation, climate change and other areas, with a view to making the pie of mutually beneficial cooperation bigger and better.
Third, we should forge stronger people-to-people bonds. We should further expand the breadth and depth of people-to-people exchanges. China will work with ASEAN to hold a successful closing ceremony of the China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and designate 2026 as the China-ASEAN Year on the Fifth Anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We will speed up the establishment of meeting mechanisms of tourism and education ministers of China and ASEAN countries, and make good use of the China-ASEAN Network of Academies on Governance and Public Administration and Think Tanks to enhance our mutual understanding and friendship.
Next, there’s a report (English report) on Xi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb exchanging congratulatory messages on the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Finally, there’s a report (English report) on the NPCSC meeting, which approved a bunch of legislative changes.
“Lawmakers voted to adopt the revised Maritime Law, and the revised Organic Law of Urban Residents’ Committees as well as decisions to revise the Cybersecurity Law, the Environmental Protection Tax Law, and the Organic Law of Villagers’ Committees. President Xi Jinping signed presidential orders to promulgate the laws and the decisions…The session also adopted a decision to appoint Zhang Shengmin as a vice chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People’s Republic of China, and remove He Weidong from this position.”
In addition, “lawmakers ratified criminal judicial assistance treaties with Zimbabwe and Ethiopia, among other bills. They also passed a report on the qualification of individual deputies and other personnel-related bills.”
There’s also details of appointments and removals from the different committees of the NPC and NPCSC:
Hao Peng has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Finance and Economics Committee
Sun Shaocheng has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Social Development Committee
Xu Hui has been removed from the post of Vice Chairman of the Constitution and Law Committee
Zhang Xuan has been removed from the position of Vice Chairman of the Supervisory and Judicial Committee
Li Jinghai has been removed from the post of Vice Chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee
Hao Ping has been removed from the position as Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
Jing Hanchao is removed from his position as Vice Chairman of the Social Construction Committee
Xia Guang was removed from his position as deputy director of the Budget Work Committee of the NPCSC
Zhai Wei was appointed as Vice Chairman of the Budget Work Committee of the NPCSC
Page 4: There is a report on Wang Yi’s chat with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The readout says:
Wang Yi congratulated Motegi on his reappointment as Foreign Minister. He said that China and Japan are important neighbours. China has maintained consistency and stability in its policies toward Japan, and is willing to work with the country to continue observing the principles and following the direction set in the four political documents between the two nations. It will comprehensively advance the China-Japan strategic and mutually-beneficial relationship, and build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era. Wang Yi said that China has noted some positive signals sent by the new Japanese cabinet, and that high-level exchanges are of great significance to the development of China-Japan relations. It is hoped that the new cabinet of Japan will make a good start in engaging with China and put right ‘the first button of a shirt’. He said that the historical and Taiwan issues concern the foundation of the bilateral relationship and the basic trust between the two sides. It is hoped that Japan will work with China to maintain the political foundation of China-Japan relations and promote the continued improvement and development of China-Japan relations in the right direction. 王毅祝贺茂木再次出任外相，表示中日互为重要近邻，中方对日政策保持连续性、稳定性，愿同日方一道，继续按照中日四个政治文件确立的原则和方向，全面推进中日战略互惠关系，构建契合新时代要求的建设性、稳定的中日关系。王毅说，中方注意到日本新内阁释放的一些积极信号，高层交往对中日关系发展具有重要意义。希望日本新内阁迈好对华交往的“第一步”，扣好“第一粒纽扣”。历史、台湾问题事关两国关系根基和双方之间基本信义，希望日方同中方一道，维护好中日关系的政治基础，推动中日关系沿着正确方向继续改善发展.
As per the Chinese readout, Motegi asid that “the current international situation is undergoing profound changes, and Japan and China are shouldering increasingly greater international responsibilities. China is an important neighbour of Japan, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attaches great importance to Japan-China relations. Japan has never intended to decouple from China and hopes that both sides will strengthen exchanges at all levels, enhance mutually beneficial cooperation, properly handle differences, and comprehensively promote a constructive and stable Japan-China strategic and mutually beneficial relationship. 茂木敏充表示，当前国际形势深刻演变，日中两国承担越来越大的国际责任。中国是日本重要邻国，高市早苗首相高度重视日中关系。日方从来无意同中方脱钩断链，希双方加强各层级交往，增进互利合作，妥善处理分歧，全面推进建设性、稳定的日中战略互惠关系.
The Japanese readout informs us that the chat lasted 30 minutes. It adds:
“Minister Motegi stated that as the international situation changes significantly, the responsibilities that both China and Japan bear have grown substantially. The two foreign ministers confirmed that they share a broad direction of comprehensively promoting a ‘Mutually Beneficial Relationship Based on Common Strategic Interests’ and building ‘constructive and stable Japan-China relations’. The two foreign ministers confirmed that they would reduce issues and concerns and increase mutual understanding and cooperation under this broad direction. Minister Motegi expressed serious concerns regarding China’s export controls on rare earth and reiterated serious concerns over China’s activities in the East China Sea, including around the Senkaku Islands, and called for the early release of detained Japanese nationals and the safety of Japanese residents in China.Additionally, Minister Motegi called for the early resumption of imports of Japanese beef, the lifting of the remaining import restrictions on agricultural and aquatic products from ten prefectures, in addition to facilitating imports of Japanese aquatic products. The two foreign ministers confirmed the importance of having communication at various levels, including between the leaders and foreign ministers.”