China saw stable macroeconomic performance and made new achievements in promoting high-quality development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Shen Danyang, director of the State Council Research Office, said on Thursday in Beijing.
At a media briefing following Premier Li Qiang's government work report at the opening of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, Shen, head of the report's drafting team, summarized China's development achievements made in the past five years.
In terms of economic scale and growth rate, over the past five years, China’s economic aggregate has grown from the 103 trillion yuan (about 14.42 trillion U.S. dollars) at the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) to over 140 trillion yuan, almost jumping by 10 trillion yuan every year, said Shen.
The economic increment over the five years exceeded 35 trillion yuan, equivalent to the economic aggregate of a medium-sized economy. The average annual economic growth rate during these five years reached 5.4 percent, significantly higher than that of other major economies in the world and above the global average growth rate, he said.
From the perspective of technological and industrial innovation that is closely related to the quality of development, China has registered a number of major scientific research achievements over the past five years, said Shen, adding that more and more of China’s technologies and industries are running in parallel with, or even leading, the global market.
In terms of social welfare that economic development should create, the well-being of people in China has reached a higher level over the five years, he said.
"To ensure people's access to childcare, we have launched free preschool education policies, benefiting 14 million children, while providing childcare subsidies to benefit over 30 million infants and toddlers. In terms of ensuring people's access to education, the grass enrollment rate for higher education has increased from 54.4 percent in 2020 to over 60 percent, with a completion rate of nine-year compulsory education exceeding 96 percent. China has basically achieved balanced development of compulsory education at the county level. In terms of ensuring people's access to employment, the number of people employed among those lifted out of poverty remained stable at over 30 million annually. Over the past five years, the cumulative number of new urban jobs exceeded 60 million, with residents' income growth aligning with economic growth," said Shen.
China has constantly improved its healthcare system. A nationwide direct medical insurance settlement scheme for cross-provincial outpatient expenses has been established, benefiting over 400 million residents. The average life expectancy has exceeded 79 years, increasing by 1.3 years over the past five years, he said.
Shen said China has established a national pension insurance system to ensure people’s access to elderly care services. The minimum standard for basic pensions for urban and rural residents has been raised annually, with a cumulative growth rate of over 53 percent, benefiting more than 180 million elderly people.
"These fruitful achievements fully demonstrate the steady progress of our country's economy, its resilience in the face of pressure, and its vitality for innovation-led and high-quality development. Precisely because of these achievements, when looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), we are more confident in facing various risks and challenges, more resolute in promoting high-quality economic development, and more optimistic about our development prospects," said Shen.
The 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, opened its annual session on Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders attending the opening meeting alongside more than 2,700 NPC deputies. Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivered a government work report on behalf of the State Council for deliberation.
China sees remarkable development achievements in past five years: official
