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The Weekly paper of the New Communist Party of Britain


Putting people first in People’s China

by John Maryon

People’s China has launched its new 15th Five Year Plan, which aims for high quality growth. A far more ambitious project than merely increasing industrial and agricultural production and expanding the nations GDP. Boosting the ser vice sector, continuing to invest at a high rate in infrastructure, further improving health and welfare provision to meet people’s needs and ensuring stability by the reinforcement of supply chains are all given priority. The country’s defences will be strengthened to resist imperialist aggression. Traditional growth strategies are being replaced by new development methods aimed at transforming the economy to higher value production levels driven by innovation.

It is a sustainable and comprehensive programme that includes boosting domestic consumption by upgrading technology to develop new, high quality productive forces and also to extend a new development pattern. This consists of two drivers for growth. Firstly, domestic circulation whereby production, consumption and innovation within China is used to provide a main driver for growth. Secondly, international circulation with trade, Investment, technology transfer and tourism reinforcing domestic development. The plan lays the basis for the major task of achieving basic social modernisation by 2035.

With its commitment to multilateralism, China has become a major contributor to global development and a defender of the international order. China has increased its influence within the Global South countries through its participation in development projects that are open and honest without interference or political pressure. Belt & Road is a symbol for win–win in international development. Such measures all contribute to stable international economic growth. China opposes unilateralism and protectionism that challenge global stability.

A priority feature of the Five Year Plan is the construction of a unified national market. This allows for resources to be allocated efficiently, discourages the preservation of uncompetitive industries and replaces redundant capacity with new investments that drive quality and innovation. Steps will be taken to allow for remote less well-developed regions to access a wider range of goods and services.

Green and sustain able development is a cornerstone for China’s development. The country will move quickly to adopt an increasing number of eco-friendly production processes and lifestyles to ensure that carbon emissions peak by 2030, paving the way for achievement of carbon neutrality before 2060. Being the world’s leading industrial powerhouse and with one of the world’s largest populations, China is faced with an important and monumental challenge.

During the next five years green and low carbon technologies will be expanded with more wind turbines, solar pan els and hydro power stations being built. The new generation of safe thorium nuclear reactors will continue their development. An additional 60,000 km of zero-car bon transport corridors will be constructed and over 100 zero-carbon industrial parks will be built. China’s electric car numbers will continue to increase rapidly. China now leads the world in both renewable energy capacity and manufacturing.

The Five Year Plan puts people’s welfare and fulfilment as a top priority. The country’s bio-diversity will be improved further as endangered aquatic species are reintroduced into upgraded water streams and lakes. Steps will be taken to ensure that the increasing number of once rare animals can live safely with the human population. Nature reserves will be upgraded. Work will continue with large forestation projects to tame the deserts. More people living in the great cities will experience the freshness of countryside quality air. An already harmonious society will develop further with the respect given to the environment and its creatures.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications across key sectors will continue to play a major role in building a Smart Economy. A faster achievement has been called for by the government to build more intelligent terminals and to promote an increasing number of large-scale commercial applications. Unlike the capitalist system with its basic contradictions, a reluctance to invest and the constant threats of surveillance and war, the people’s republic is in a good position to use the technology for the benefit of everyone. Repetitive, unpleasant and hazardous tasks may be carried out automatically leaving comrades more free time to engage in sports, cultural activities, music, the arts and study. While some Western powers become excited over the prospect of using AI for war, China views it as an essential tool for the full advancement of a people-oriented society.

The Chinese revolution that established the people’s government in 1949 has transformed the country that was then the poorest in the world. China has now risen from being a weak semi-feudal, semi-colonial country to become a force for peace in the global arena, with the second largest economy in the world. Productivity gains, innovation and consumption needs have become the main drivers of growth. China’s manufacturing, innovation and construction now serve the entire world. As China transforms it shares what it has learned with other developing countries facing similar challenges. And equally the communist party, which led and continues to lead the Chinese people’s march to socialism, is always ready to share its knowledge and experience with the rest of the communist movement around the world.

People’s China, under the leadership of its Communist Party, has made remarkable progress in the transformation of a poverty-stricken land into a leading power within a few short decades. It looks forward with confidence to the future and offers friendship and respectful relations with all good people.