Introduction
The 14th Five-Year Plan period marks a milestone in China’s journey toward building a modern socialist country. Against a backdrop of global volatility and evolving challenges, the leadership steered the economy and society toward stability, quality growth, and higher resilience. The plan highlights profound achievements in economic scale, innovation, opening up, green development, and the well-being of the people, underscoring China’s progress on the path to modernization.
Economic scale and global standing
GDP milestones and production capacity
During the 14th Five-Year Plan, China’s GDP repeatedly crossed major thresholds, reaching beyond 134 trillion yuan in 2024. Real growth from 2020 to 2024 reached 23.9%, with average annual growth of about 5.5%. The cumulative incremental output over the period is estimated to exceed 35 trillion yuan, a testament to the economy’s robust resilience amid global headwinds.
Per-capita income and productivity
Per-capita GDP rose from about $10,632 in 2020 to roughly $13,445 in 2024, placing China among upper‑middle‑income economies. Full‑time productivity climbed to 174,000 yuan per person (2020 prices), with a compound annual increase outpacing overall GDP growth. Life expectancy and health indicators also advanced, reflecting broader improvements in living standards.
Global influence
At current exchange rates, China’s economy reached approximately $18.9 trillion in 2024, accounting for about 17% of global GDP and confirming its status as the world’s second‑largest economy. China’s steady, offsetting contribution to global growth—around one‑third of world growth on average—highlights the country’s role as a stable engine of world economic development.
Innovation-driven development and new growth momentum
R&D investment and global rankings
Spending on research and development hit record levels, with total R&D expenditure exceeding 3.6 trillion yuan in 2024. By 2025, China rose to 10th in the Global Innovation Index, leading among middle‑income economies and hosting the largest concentration of innovation clusters worldwide.
Knowledge assets and manufacturing prowess
Knowledge‑property outputs expanded sharply. By mid‑2025, patent filings and high‑value patents reached new highs, with knowledge assets translating into higher‑value applications in high‑end, intelligent, and green sectors. The country has fostered hundreds of advanced manufacturing clusters and nurtured more than 100,000 specialized, new‑type small and medium enterprises since the start of the period.
New development pattern: domestic and international cycles
Domestic demand and urbanization
The domestic cycle solidified its role as the growth anchor. From 2021 to 2024, domestic demand contributed about 86.8% to growth, with final consumption driving roughly 60% of the expansion. High‑tech investment grew rapidly, outpacing overall investment and fueling the modernization of the economy. Urbanization advanced to about 67% of the population by 2024, with living standards rising across rural and urban areas.
Trade and openness
China deepened integration into global value chains. Goods trade rose steadily, and the country’s open economy framework grew with 40 new or expanded opening ports since the start of the period. The service sector became a global growth engine, with travel and related services expanding rapidly and service exports reaching record levels.
Reform and opening up: expanding development momentum
Market reforms and a level playing field
The market economy framework continued to mature, with negative lists shortened and the business climate improved. State‑owned enterprises deepened reforms while private firms expanded in number and scale. A unified national market and more efficient logistics and electricity markets supported smoother resource and factor flows, reinforcing the vitality of market dynamics.
Institutional openness
China advanced institutional opening with 22 free trade zones and ongoing reforms to attract foreign investment. The country’s foreign trade and investment structures diversified, aligning with a higher-standard open‑door policy and setting the stage for deeper international collaboration.
Green, low‑carbon transformation
Energy transition and environmental gains
A rapid shift to clean energy characterized the period. Renewable energy construction surged, non‑fossil energy usage rose to around one‑fifth of total energy consumption, and energy efficiency improved notably. By 2024, roughly 60% of electricity came from clean energy sources, while energy intensity declined steadily, underscoring China’s progress toward a greener growth model.
Green products and ecological stewardship
Green manufacturing and new energy sectors expanded vigorously. Production of solar cells, energy‑saving glass, and bio‑based materials surged, while electric vehicles (EVs) boomed — with 1.317 million EVs produced in 2024 and more than 3.14 million EVs on the road by year’s end. Green exports, including EVs, batteries, and photovoltaic products, grew severalfold since 2020.
People’s livelihoods and social well-being
Employment and income
Employment remained a policy priority, supporting stable job markets and rising household incomes. Urban employment surpassed 473 million, with the unemployment rate remaining in a controlled range. Real disposable income rose steadily, expanding the middle class and improving household purchasing power.
Social security, education, health, and culture
The social security system expanded to cover over a billion people in pension and health schemes, with high coverage and robust protection. Education indicators improved across pre‑school, compulsory, and secondary education, and public health literacy rose. Cultural and sports infrastructure also grew, expanding access to museums, libraries, and physical activity nationwide.
Security foundations and risk management
Grain, energy, and supply chains
China fortified its food security, with stable grain production and per‑capita grain availability exceeding safety benchmarks. Energy security was anchored by a comprehensive energy network, while resilient supply chains and a diversified industrial base reduced exposure to external shocks. These measures strengthened overall national security while supporting sustained growth.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan
As China approaches the next five‑year cycle, the country stands on the cusp of accelerating modernization. The strengths of the socialist market economy, a vast domestic market, complete industrial systems, and abundant talent resources provide a solid foundation for high‑quality development. The road ahead will continue to emphasize scientific and technological self‑reliance, reform, openness, and the coordinated advancement of development and security, aiming to build a modern socialist country in greater breadth and depth.
Conclusion
The achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan reveal a nation that has not only expanded its economic might but also enhanced its capacity for innovation, openness, green transition, and social well‑being. With steadfast leadership and broad-based participation, China is advancing toward its modernization goals with momentum and confidence.
