China's composite national strength has greatly increased during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), laying a solid foundation for realizing the Second Centenary Goal of building the country into a great modern socialist country in all respects, said Zheng Shanjie, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Wednesday.
Zheng made the remarks at a press conference in Beijing, where he presented achievements in social and economic development during the five-year period and responded to questions from the media.
China has remained the world's largest industrial producer, the largest trader of goods, and the holder of the largest foreign exchange reserves. It is also the largest energy producer and boasts the most extensive human resources. The country has cultivated the world's largest middle-income group and social security system, while building the most extensive 5G network globally, according to the official.
"China's real economy continues to strengthen. Since 2021, the value-added output of the country's manufacturing has surpassed 30 trillion yuan in every year, and China has remained the world's largest manufacturing country for 15 consecutive years. China's output of more than 200 key industrial products ranks first globally. The things China can't make are getting fewer, and the things China can make are getting made better and better," said Zheng.
China has the world's largest stock of R and D talent, with 26 of the world's top 100 science and technology innovation clusters - the highest share worldwide. China is home to more than 460,000 high-tech enterprises and the added value of the "Three New" Economy (new industries, new business formats, and new business models) surpassed 24 trillion yuan (about 3.35 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2024, equivalent to the combined GDP of Chinese major cities of Beijing and Shanghai, and Guangdong Province, according to the official.
China's cultural soft power has grown significantly, with web dramas, online literature, and online games, the "new trio" of cultural exports, gaining global popularity. The Belt and Road Initiative has become a pathway towards shared prosperity, while China has now expanded its unilateral visa-free policy to 47 countries.
During the period, China has ensured that its food supply remains firmly in its own hands. In 2024, China's total grain output exceeded 700 million tonnes for the first time, achieving 21 consecutive years of bumper harvests, while its energy self-sufficiency rate remained above 80 percent.
China's composite national strength grows in 2021-20025 period:official
