In an article published by Nova Makedonija on 19 March, H.E. Ambassador Jiang Xiaoyan shared her views on understanding China through the Two Sessions. The full text is as follows:

The 2026 National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sessions—known as the Two Sessions—concluded successfully last week. These meetings have significant implications in China’s political life and serve as an important window for the world to observe China’s development trajectory and policy direction. Approximately 5,000 deputies and members from across the country, representing diverse sectors, gathered in Beijing to discuss national affairs and chart the course for future development. More than 3,000 journalists, including one from North Macedonia, covered the event, drawing global attention to this significant political gathering.

Building on a solid foundation of past accomplishments, the Two Sessions drew a clear roadmap for China’s journey ahead. President Xi Jinping engaged in discussions with deputies and members in various group meetings, conducting in-depth exchanges that reviewed past accomplishments and looked toward the future. A series of important speeches were delivered on topics including developing new quality productive forces, enhancing economic resilience, and building a Healthy China, providing direction for advancing national development from this new starting point. The past five years have witnessed the successful conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan, fulfilling all major tasks and objectives. China’s economic expansion exceeded 35 trillion yuan (nearly 5 trillion USD) —surpassing the total GDP of the world’s third-largest economy—demonstrating both quantitative growth and qualitative improvement. These results exceeded expectations and highlighted China’s growing global influence. China will remain unwavering in pursuing high-quality development, deepening high-standard opening-up, working for the people’s wellbeing, and steadfastly advancing Chinese modernization. We advocate for an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, promotes the four major global initiatives, and works with other countries to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

The Two Sessions set the course for development and injected new drivers of growth. The Fourth Session of the 14th NPC approved the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). This important document, exceeding 70,000 words, sets quantitative targets for China’s economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, outlines 16 major strategic tasks, and establishes 20 key indicators. It will lay a more solid foundation for basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035. The Plan covers key areas and critical links in economic and social development, with emphasis on strengthening the domestic economy, advancing common prosperity for all, and ensuring both development and security. The Plan sets aside specific sections for advancing digital and intelligent development, as well as for fostering high-quality population growth. It outlines 109 major projects and initiatives, among them a series of innovative measures. These include an integrated approach to advancing education, science, and talent development; a commitment to balancing investment in infrastructure and innovation with investment in people; and a push for greater coordinated development between regions. The shift from digitalization to digital intelligence, and from a digital economy to new forms of smart economy, signals China’s accelerated economic transformation and technology’s enhanced role in driving both the scale and quality of growth.

The Two Sessions prioritized people’s wellbeing and responded to new aspirations. In Chinese modernization, people’s wellbeing comes first. By listening carefully to the people, deputies and members have turned their aspirations for a better life into concrete proposals. They are addressing the public’s concerns and ensuring that the country’s progress aligns with the people’s expectations. The 15th Five-Year Plan dedicates a section to advancing high-quality population development. Among its 20 main indicators, seven are related to public wellbeing, accounting for over one third of the total. These indicators cover areas such as employment, income, education, medical care, health, elderly care, childcare，and nursery service. This marks a solid step forward toward the important goal of achieving equal access to basic public services by 2035. The income growth plan for urban and rural residents and the “China Services” brand were unveiled for the first time in the government work report. Setting clear goals to promote high-quality full employment, enhance education equity and quality, boost public health capacity, enhance social security services, and advance the high-quality development of the cultural tourism. These initiatives are a vivid reflection of the core development philosophy - growth for the people, of the people and by the people.

The Two Sessions advanced legislation and wrote new chapters in rule of law. The Fourth Session of the 14th NPC reviewed and passed three important laws: an environmental code to safeguard harmony between humanity and nature, Ethnic Unity and Progress Promotion Law to strengthen the sense of community for the Chinese nation, and Law on National Development Planning to better chart the country’s development blueprint. The 15th Five-Year Plan sets out a dedicated section on advancing comprehensive rule of law, and the government work report explicitly states that China will intensify efforts to build a law-based government. By using good laws and sound governance to enhance people’s wellbeing, coordinating the rule of law with reform, development, and stability, and promoting social fairness and justice, China is making new strides in building a law-based country. These efforts are providing a more solid institutional foundation for Chinese modernization.

The Two Sessions strengthened confidence and shared new opportunities. The government work report set this year’s economic growth target at 4.5 to 5 percent, while striving for better in practice. With China’s economy exceeding 140 trillion yuan (more than 20 trillion US dollars), this growth rate still represents relatively fast expansion from a high base. Against the backdrop of sluggish global recovery, China serves as the most stable and reliable engine of world growth, contributing 30 percent of the expansion from its 17 percent share of the global economy. In the face of the “tariff stick” and rampant protectionism by certain countries, China has persevered through pressure and challenges, continuing to host the International Import Expo and remaining the world’s second-largest import market for the 17th consecutive year, with import growth achieved with over 130 countries and regions. The strong resilience of China’s economy has provided a solid basis for the World Bank and other international institutions to raise their forecasts for China. According to KPMG’s 2025 China Outlook for Multinational Corporations on Monday, 94% percent of surveyed multinational companies continue to invest in and bet on the Chinese market. China will only open its door wider, steadily expanding institutional opening-up, building a new system for higher-level open economy, promoting development through opening-up, and sharing opportunities for common development with the world.

 “China’s past is now a proud part of human history; its present is being shaped by the dedication of hundreds of millions of Chinese people; and its future holds the promise of even greater achievements.” The year 2026 marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Currently, China is forging ahead on the new journey of the 15th Five-Year Plan, whileas North Macedonia is working toward the goals of its National Development Strategy 2024-2044. China stands ready to work hand in hand with North Macedonia and other countries around the world to paint a magnificent picture of national development and people’s wellbeing, and write a new chapter of win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.