China is open to the world

What we envision is not a development loop behind closed doors, but more open domestic and international circulations.

At the current critical moment when the world is faced with changes unseen in a hundred years and a serious Covid-19 pandemic, a historically important conference was held in China — the fifth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The conference has reviewed China’s social and economic development achievements in the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), during which China has secured a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, with its economic, technological, and comprehensive national strength rising to a new level. China’s poverty reduction efforts have made remarkable achievements, lifting its 55.75 million people in rural areas out of poverty. Grain production has exceeded 650 million tonnes for five consecutive years. Chinese people’s livelihood has seen significant improvements, and higher education is much more accessible than ever before. China has built the world’s largest social security system with 1.3 billion people covered by basic medical insurance and nearly one billion covered by basic endowment insurance.

The conference has approved the “Proposals for the Formulation of the 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035,” illustrating the guiding principles, main goals, major tasks, and important measures for China’s development in the next 5 to 15 years. The main goals outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan are to make new strides in economic development, reform and opening-up, social etiquette and civility, ecological civilisation, people’s well-being, and governance capacity. China will focus more on high-quality development and optimise economic structure, while accelerating to foster a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. The Proposals put forward China’s long-range objectives through 2035 in nine aspects such as economy, the rule of law, culture, and a better life.

At a time when economic globalisation meets counterforces, exacerbated by rising unilateralism and protectionism, the Covid-19 has brought profound and far-reaching impacts to our world. China is setting an example in both epidemic control and economic recovery. The Chinese economy registers a positive overall growth in the first three quarters, including a 0.7 per cent growth in foreign trade and a 5.2 per cent rise in paid-in foreign investment. Multiple credible international institutions project China to be the only growing major economy this year, with an estimated GDP of over $15.22 trillion. This is a strong boost to global economic recovery.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, the vastly huge China market is the most promising in the world. What we envision is not a development loop behind closed doors, but more open domestic and international circulations. The Chinese market is always open to the world and the Arab countries. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, recently said, “There is no future for anyone without cooperating with the other, and no nation can isolate itself from the rest of the world.” The UAE shares the deepest, broadest and most fruitful cooperation with China among all Middle East countries. In 2019, our bilateral trade volume was nearly $50 billion, making the UAE the largest export market and investment destination for China in the Arab world. Our cooperation complements each other’s advantages. We should continue to push for smooth progress of major ‘Belt and Road’ projects, actively explore new opportunities and models in 5G, internet, medical, space and other cooperation fields, and better synergise our production and supply chains.

Under the guidance of the 14th Five-Year Plan and 2035 Long-Range Objectives, China will stay committed to openness, cooperation and unity for win-win results. We will steadfastly expand all-round opening up and turn the Chinese market into a market for the world, a market shared by all, and a market accessible to all. This way, China will be able to create more development opportunities for the UAE, for the Middle East, for the world, and bring more positive energy to the global community.

Ni Jian is China’s ambassador to the UAE