TWO sessions 2025, linchpin of China’s governance system, that concluded recently has zeroed in on “Next China” that gives more voice to people, breaks new grounds of modernization, bolster hi-tech economy with exponential opening up to the world, beef up whole-process democracy and continue to work as stabilizing global force.
Next China features a buzz word “people’s first” because deputies to the NPC and members of the CPPCC National Committee reviewed one year performance and put forward propos-als or motions on economic development, social policies, legislative changes and national strategies.
These proposals are not abstract ideas but are rooted in the realities of Chinese society, reflecting the voices and concerns of people from all walks of life.
As a country ruled by the Communist Party of China with the support of multiple non-Communist political parties, the NPC and the CPPCC play a pivotal role in the country’s whole-process people’s democracy, which emphasizes democratic principles and practices throughout all stages of governance, decision-making, and public participation.
Unlike traditional models of democracy that focus primarily on periodic elections as the main mechanism for citizen participation, China’s whole-process people’s democracy seeks to embed democratic values in every aspect of governance, from policy formulation to implementation and evaluation.
The drafting of the Government Work Report is a process of public consultation, incorporating nearly 4,000 opinions from various sectors and over 2 million suggestions from netizens, resulting in concrete measures to benefit the people.
Two sessions emphasized the development of new quality productive forces (NQPFs) and billed them a crucial driver of economic growth and Chinese modernization.
Pursuing the final year of 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), the sessions took stock of situation how the world’s second-largest economy will be accelerating its shift toward high-quality development and advances Chinese modernization.
According to Next China agenda, China plans to establish a mechanism to increase funding for industries of the future and foster industries such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied AI, and 6G technology.
Under the AI Plus initiative, China will work to effectively combine digital technologies with China’s manufacturing and market strengths.
Basic data systems will be improved at a faster pace, data resources will be extensively developed and utilized, and cross-border data flows will be promoted and kept under regulation.
Higher-standard opening up and stabilizing foreign trade and investment are among the top priorities set by the two sessions to catapult China to the next stage.
China will bolster poli-cies to stabilize foreign trade and support enterprises in securing orders and exploring new markets.
Under the vision of the two sessions, the Next China approach will enable China to cultivate new growth drivers, such as green trade and digital trade, support localities where conditions permit in developing new types of offshore trade, and boost border trade.
Meanwhile, China will continue to expand its globally oriented network of high-standard free trade areas.
It will work toward the signing of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol and speed up the process of seeking to join the Digital Economy Partner-ship Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Part-nership.
Energized by the agenda of ‘Next China,’ China will resolutely safeguard the WTO-centred multilateral trading system, broaden converging interests with other countries, and promote shared development.
In connection with China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which will draw closer in 2025, the two sessions pledge to make coordinated efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development, boost economic growth, and accelerate the green transition in all areas of economic and social development.
In terms of steadily advancing the second batch of trials for peaking carbon emissions, plan is afoot to establish a group of zero-carbon industrial parks and factories.
“Next China” pro-gram will set the tone of the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2031) in order to shoulder political responsibility for ensuring full and rigorous Party self-governance, fully implement the central Party leadership’s eight-point decision on improving work conduct, and remain committed to improving Party conduct, building integrity, and combating corruption in the government.
Next China framework will fully, faithfully, and resolutely implement the policy of One Country, Two Systems.
It will implement the Party’s overall policy for the new era on resolving the Taiwan question.
It will stay committed to the one-China principle and the 1992 Consensus and resolutely oppose separatist activities aimed at “Taiwan independence” and external interference, so as to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations.
It will stay committed to an independent foreign policy of peace and to the path of peaceful development.
China is ready to work with other members of the international community to promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, pursue the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and actively participate in reform and development of the global governance system.
—The writer is contributing columnist. (yaseerkhan@hotmail.com)
