Column: China's five-year plans offer blueprint for Global South prosperity

by Adhere Cavince

About a month ago, the Communist Party of China (CPC) held the Fourth Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee and adopted the recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. Since 1953, these rolling blueprints have steered the world's most populous nation from post-war devastation to global powerhouse status, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty and cementing its role as the manufacturing hub of the planet.

Like many others before it, the 15th Five-Year Plan embodies a distinctive strength of China's national governance: the ability to blend long-term vision with adaptive execution. Unlike the short-term electoral cycles that plague many advanced economies where new administrations dismantle predecessors' policies thereby breeding inconsistency, China's plans offer continuity with flexibility.

Over the years, modernization has remained the enduring theme, but specifics evolve with the times. From heavy industry focus in the 1950s to digital innovation today, the persistence, coupled with adaptability, has allowed China to navigate crises like the 2008 financial meltdown and the COVID-19 pandemic without derailing its development trajectory.

What elevates these plans is their democratic ethos, a vivid embodiment of whole-process people's democracy. In January 2025, the CPC solicited opinions from Party members and non-Party figures. By February, six research teams fanned out across 12 provinces, while central departments tackled 35 key topics.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a symposium on China's economic and social development in the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) in Shanghai in April, drawing input from diverse regions, followed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang's sessions with economists, scientists and grassroots voices. In a world where policy often feels imposed, China's approach demonstrates how planning can be both scientific and inclusive, fostering legitimacy and public support.

Beyond governance, China's five-year plans are market-enabling marvels. The 15th Five-Year Plan, for example, is expected to articulate national priorities, optimize public resource allocation, and steer private investment toward synergistic goals. By signaling clear policy directions, the blueprint stabilizes expectations, allowing both domestic and foreign businesses to plan with confidence.

China's fervent implementation of the plan has enabled it to create the twin miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, thereby transforming itself in just a few decades from a poor and backward country into one with a per capita GDP exceeding 13,000 U.S. dollars. China's manufacturing output today accounts for around 30 percent of the global total.

China's planning consistency offers veritable reference points for many emerging economies that often struggle to formulate sustainable national strategies that can deliver long term prosperity.

China's stability has effectively bolstered the economic growth of the Global South. Under the 15th Five-Year Plan, the opportunities for the Global South are as vast as they are actionable. As domestic demand surges, with household consumption rates climbing and internal markets driving growth, for countries like Kenya, this translates to inexhaustible opportunity for exports, joint ventures and foreign direct investments.

Second, high-level opening up will supercharge trade and investment. China pledges to negotiate bilateral pacts, including partnership agreements with African nations like Kenya. It will diversify markets, balance imports-exports, and extend zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for African countries with diplomatic ties with China.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation is also poised to blend major signature projects like Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway with small and beautiful welfare initiatives, such as solar micro grids to vocational training, thereby directly touching livelihoods in partner countries.

Third, China's scientific and technological innovation will catalyze industrial leaps. By prioritizing original breakthroughs in core technologies, China aims to fuse innovation with industry, ballooning emerging sectors like biotech and renewables. This provides a window for technology transfer to Africa while harnessing the continent's partnership for a more livable planet through resource beneficiation.

Ultimately, these opportunities culminate in a shared future. China has become the strongest champion of the rights of developing countries in the global arena. By championing the Global Development Initiative, alongside other initiatives, Beijing is leading the search for a more rational and inclusive globalization. Solidarity with the Global South means amplified voices in forums like the United Nations, increased aid, and public goods like debt relief or climate funds.

By opposing bullying, be it trade wars or unilateral sanctions, China can significantly safeguard collective interests, upholding humanity's common values. Finally, in building a community with a shared future, the 15th Five-Year Plan will cement a platform of mutual elevation, where Kenya's youth can innovate alongside Shenzhen start-ups, and Africa's resources fuel equitable growth.

Editor's note: Adhere Cavince is a scholar of international relations with a focus on China-Africa development cooperation based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.