Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday emphasized efforts to achieve a strong start for the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), calling on the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups to unite even more closely and continuously open up new prospects for advancing Chinese modernization.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a gathering held by China's top political advisory body, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), to usher in the new year.
"On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, I hereby extend my best wishes to non-Communist parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages without party affiliation, Chinese people of all ethnic groups, compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, and the friends from around the world who care and support China's modernization," Xi said while extending New Year greetings.
He hailed 2025 as an extraordinary year, when China accomplished main economic and social development goals, demonstrated strong economic resilience and vitality, and maintained overall social stability.
The past year also marked the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), with China's overall national strength reaching a new level, Xi said.
As 2026 marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan, he called for efforts from different aspects to achieve a good start for the new period.
Xi stressed that the CPPCC should focus its consultative and deliberative work on the formulation and implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, to gather extensive support and strength for advancing Chinese modernization.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC, presided over the gathering.
Other Party and state leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng attended the event.
Performers presented a show on site.
Xi emphasizes strong start for 15th Five-Year Plan period
Xi emphasizes strong start for 15th Five-Year Plan period
Xi emphasizes strong start for 15th Five-Year Plan period
Thai exporters are leveraging this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE) to seek new opportunities in China as innovation and shifting consumer demand reshape how Thailand's traditional agricultural products are grown, produced and brought to market.
For generations, families in Thailand have made a living from coconut palms, harvesting the fruit by hand and shipping it far beyond the orchards where it is grown.
Natthasak Manusrungsri's family has been exporting aromatic coconuts for more than two decades. But growing demand from China has transformed the scale of their business, driving production, expanding exports and inspiring new ways to bring this familiar fruit to consumers.
"Almost every factory that packs fresh coconuts depends on China as its main market, almost entirely. After Thailand received permission to export coconuts to China, volumes kept rising, driven by trends and by customers becoming more knowledgeable and health-conscious," said Natthasak Manusrungsri, managing director of K-Fresh Co.
But as demand grows, so does the pressure to innovate. Generations of agricultural knowledge are meeting a new generation of ideas.
For Thai producers, China offers enormous opportunities, but competition is intensifying. As consumer preferences change, exporters are shifting their focus beyond simply increasing sales to developing innovative products that offer greater convenience and bring more value to an increasingly competitive industry.
That transformation begins long before the coconuts leave the trees. Across a network of plantations, precision agriculture is helping farmers monitor growing conditions, identify problem areas, and improve yields, while maintaining the quality of Thailand's renowned coconuts.
Inside the factory, innovation takes a different form. Even the simple act of opening a coconut has been redesigned. A patented mechanism allows consumers to open it with a push.
"Innovation matters for both the farm and production, so we can deliver the highest quality to our customers. So, we practice precision agriculture. And in the factory, we focus on innovation to make it easier for consumers to open and enjoy, bringing quality products to consumers around the world and in China," said Manusrungsri.
For the farmers who tend these palms, the rhythm of life remains much as it has for generations. But beyond the orchards, almost everything else is changing.
And at CIIE 2026, Thailand's humble coconut is showing how an age-old harvest can find new value in a world of changing tastes and possibilities.
Thai coconut exporter taps CIIE to promote industry innovation
