China's just-concluded "two sessions" political meetings, which set the country's development direction and policy priorities, offered international experts and scholars a window into the country's strong vitality driven by high-quality development, with many saying China's steady progress and high-level opening-up are bringing stability and confidence to the world.
The "two sessions" are a key event on China's political calendar, gathering 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.
"The 15th Five-Year Plan is not only about setting the direction for development but also about translating that vision into investments in areas such as infrastructure. Investment in related sectors has been steadily increasing, and this trend has continued for years. So, China will focus on technology-driven development. From this perspective, the 15th Five-Year Plan holds great significance," said Kang Jun-young, head of the Center for International Area Studies at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
Garth Shelton, a professor at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, expressed optimism about the opportunities the plan will bring.
"I think China's now entering the golden age of high tech development and innovation, and of course there will be a new driver for growth and a way to produce new products and to the benefit of all. So we expect the next five years to be a new phase of exciting development in China and I hope to visit again soon to participate in that process," said Shelton.
Besides expectations for the next five years, experts also reflected on China's development achievements to date.
Tomoo Marukawa, a professor at the Institute of Social Science at the University of Tokyo, shared firsthand observations from his time living in China.
"Last year, I lived in China for half a year, during which I deeply felt the vitality of Chinese enterprises. For example, in areas such as green transition, as well as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, many young people are actively participating. The whole society is supporting these emerging industries, which is truly commendable. China is already a world leader in green technology, AI, and robotics. I look forward to China's continued progress in the future," said Marukawa.
Others highlighted the global significance of China's development and expressed hope that its successful experience will benefit more countries.
"China develops its economy in a way that is more environmentally friendly and more inclusive. The achievements of its development are benefiting the whole world," said Richard Morales, a professor of political science at the University of Panama.
"It's a people-centered leadership. African countries need to learn from China and find out how the CPC conducts its affairs," said Douglas Kivoi, a political analyst of Kenya.
"Two sessions" offer window into China's next phase of high-quality development
A new Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, the Dongguan (Hull 109), recently completed its first maritime training at the waters of the East China Sea after commissioning to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.
During this combat-oriented training exercise, the Dongguan not only completed single-vessel training subjects such as navigating through narrow waterways and damage control, but also coordinated with other warships in the formation to conduct joint operation drills, including maritime assault missions, at-sea replenishment, and multi-domain coordinated strikes.
With the improved performance of weaponry and equipment, the software and hardware of the Dongguan are vastly different from those of previous vessels. Sailors onboard the warship said that it's much more well-equipped and responsive.
"The Dongguan can now observe farther and hear more clearly. From detecting the target to launching strikes, it may take only a few seconds. However, seeing farther and wider also brings exponentially more interference factors. This requires us to practice and observe more frequently to accumulate experience, so as to enable rapid identification and efficient response," said Guo Tian, a lieutenant onboard the Gongguan.
In addition to diversified subjects with a clear combat focus, the Dongguan also faced challenges posed by harsh weather conditions during the training exercise. The crew remained at their posts throughout the process, demonstrating exceptional skills in maneuvering the vessel.
"To accelerate the combat readiness of the vessel, we participated fully in the testing and trial navigation missions from the very beginning of taking over the ship. The very first power trial navigation was independently completed by our own crew. Throughout this process, we not only learned how to operate the ship, but also understood the working principles behind its operation. This has laid a solid foundation for our combat-oriented training and equipment maintenance," said Zhang Chen, a helmsman onboard the Dongguan.
"During this maritime training exercise, we adhered to a problem-oriented approach. By creating complex settings and simulating real combat scenarios, we thoroughly tested the quality and effectiveness of the integration of trial and training during the equipment handover period, while systematically validating the combat effectiveness of the new equipment. Next, we will further optimize deployment, consolidate our foundation, strengthen coordination and cooperation, actively integrate into formation and group training, and continuously enhance the vessel’s comprehensive combat capabilities," said Shen Kai, commanding officer onboard the Dongguan.
The Type 055 destroyer is the fourth-generation destroyer independently developed and built by China. As one of the Chinese PLA Navy's most advanced surface warships, it carries advanced radar, universal vertical launch systems, and comprehensive radio frequency system, serving as the core the naval fleets for far-sea missions.
The Dongguan was commissioned to the PLA Navy together with another Type 055, the Anqing (Hull 110). With these additions, the number of China's Type 055 10,000-ton-class destroyers has risen to 10 since the first Type 055 destroyer Nanchang (Hull 101) was commissioned in 2020.
China's newly commissioned Type 055 destroyer Donggaun completes 1st maritime training
