Xi spells out key goals for blueprint

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China's new Five-Year Plan (2016-20) calls for deepening reform and opening-up as well as proactively shouldering international obligations and duties, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (5th R) meets with foreign participants in the second Understanding China Conference in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 3, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The country's success in achieving the goals set by the plan cannot be realized without practical cooperation with all countries in the world, he said.

Xi elaborated on China's latest vision for healthier growth when meeting with visiting former prominent politicians, business leaders and scholars in Beijing.

They were attending the 2nd Understanding China International Conference, a leading seminar, along with senior Chinese officials.

Beijing unveiled its major economic agenda for the next five years last week.

Xi said realizing the new plan will bring more development opportunities for the world, and China is ready to share these opportunities with all countries to jointly shape a "beautiful future".

Former US treasury secretary Lawrence Summers said he was encouraged by the determination and dedication of China's policymakers, even as they face formidable challenges and an economic transformation.

Nicholas Berggruen, chairman of the Berggruen Institute, an independent think tank that develops ideas to shape political and social institutions, said, "China is trying to achieve an enormous change economically in terms of where the energy for future economic growth is going to come from."

Xi also outlined Beijing's goals for hosting the G20 summit next year. These include addressing "the most demanding issues in the global economy" and shaping consensus for boosting long-term and stable growth.

The G20 system is expected to be perfected and its role as a major platform for international economic cooperation will be cemented to make global economic governance more fair, inclusive and efficient, Xi said.

All parties are expected to understand and respect each other, properly tackle differences "and send positive signals to the outside world about the consolidation and coordination of the G20", Xi said.

Wu Jianmin, executive vice-chairman of the China Institute for Innovation and Development Strategy and a former Chinese ambassador to France, said the G20 summit next year is "problem-oriented".

Wu said the global economy has slowed and the biggest issue is sluggish demand.

China's Belt and Road Initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are targeting this lack of demand, Wu said, adding, "As the world gets better, China gets better, and vice versa."

Support for Liberia

In a meeting with visiting Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Xi said China looks forward to deepening cooperation with Liberia in key areas such as infrastructure, marine transportation, agriculture, fisheries, production capacity and manufacturing.

China will also help to improve public health and epidemic prevention systems in Liberia and increase government scholarships for the African nation.

It will also continue to take part in UN peacekeeping efforts in Liberia, Xi said.

Johnson Sirleaf, the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, thanked China for being the first country to help fight the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, saying it is a trustworthy friend.

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