International observers have been closely watching proceedings at China's just-concluded "two sessions" political meetings which laid out the country's development direction and policy priorities, with many hailing China as a beacon of stable development and a "safe haven" for investment against a turbulent global backdrop.
The "two sessions" are a key event on China's political calender and gathers thousands of lawmakers and political advisors from across the country in Beijing. They refer to the annual gatherings of the National People's Congress (NPC), the national legislature, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body.
At the center of deliberations this year was the blueprint of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), which sets out China's development agenda through to the end of the decade.
With the plan calling for improving livelihoods and social welfare, Kirtan Bhana, director and founder of "The Diplomatic Society", a South African international relations and media platform, pointed out that China's people-centered development model has offered valuable lessons for the world, emphasizing its focus on ensuring shared prosperity and highlighting the country's stable model of governance.
"China has got the formula right. It's about collective development. It's about people-centered governance. It's about inclusive growth. The most key factor is stability -- political, social, economic stability. And when you have this kind of stability in a country, it allows for innovation, it allows people to experiment, it allows people to go and look for new ways of doing things," he said. Hamidou Kasse, a well-known scholar from Senegal, also hailed China's common prosperity strategy, saying it provides a Chinese solution to some of the world's escalating problems.
"Personally, what left the deepest impression on me is the concept of common prosperity. We live in a profoundly unequal world. As long as inequality persists, the root causes of conflict will exist. And as long as these root causes of conflict remain, various forms of conflict, including war, will inevitably arise," Kasse said. Meanwhile, Lina Luna, a professor at the Externado University of Colombia, commended China's approach of integrating economic development with social welfare to further improve people's quality of life.
"China is combining economic [growth] with welfare and in that sense is using market dynamics to improve the quality of life of people. If China achieves that, [and] it is most probable that they will achieve it, they are forging a new path for economic and political theory that can be very useful for developing countries ahead," said Luna.
Charles W. Freeman Jr., a veteran diplomat and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense, said that amid heightened global volatility and geopolitical tensions, investors are viewing China as a "safe haven", drawn by its focus on tech development and stable economic growth.
"For the first time, I'm seeing evidence that investors see China as a safe haven for investment. They're watching this very closely, others of course are absorbed with the news about the [Iran] war, but the emphasis on technology development, on a more reasonable rate of growth for the economy and the management of the currency, its internationalization, as well as its stabilization or I should say 'stable change in its value' are all things that people are watching. This makes China attractive to foreign investors," said Freeman.
Judit Eva Nagy, president of the Hungarian-Chinese Friendship Association, stressed that this year's "two sessions" and the country's latest five-year plan has created a comprehensive vision for the future, not only for China but also for the world, while also echoing the view that the country's stable development is crucial for the global economy.
"Globally, many people are paying attention to China's experiences, as numerous countries seek a model that can simultaneously achieve economic growth, social stability, and improved living standards for their peoples. China's development is built on a foundation of long-term planning and coherent economic policies. The success of China's reform and opening-up is attributed to various factors, including the leadership's long-term strategy, gradual market reforms, policy improvements, and the tireless efforts of the Chinese people. Today, China's stable development is not only a domestic issue but also holds significant importance for the global economy," she said.
"China's role in the emerging new world order will be pivotal, and the [global] initiatives it put forward will be very useful," said Gustavo Arevalo, professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Lima.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the CPPCC concluded on Wednesday, while the fourth session of the 14th NPC closed on Thursday, officially marking the end of this year's "two sessions".
Int'l observers hail China as "safe haven" for investment, stability amid global turbulence
