The “two sessions” of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) successfully concluded in Beijing. This year, their annual meetings coincided with the launch of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for Social and Economic Development (2026–2030).
An expert dialogue following the “two sessions” was held at the Rossiya Segodnya media group. It was a joint Russian-Chinese discussion. Dmitry Novikov, Deputy Chairman of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Central Committee and First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, participated in the discussion.
The meeting at the International Multimedia Press Center of the Rossiya Segodnya Media Group was complemented by a video conference with Beijing. Its topic was “Anchor of Stability and Wings of Development: The New Architecture of Global Governance as Seen by Experts from China and Russia.”
The main organizers were the People’s Daily Publishing House and the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society. The Chinese Embassy in Russia provided essential support. Many Russian journalists and Chinese media outlets accredited in Russia attended.
Experts from both countries discussed the logic of China’s development and the formation of its economic policy. This year, the “two sessions” are particularly significant because they provide responses to extremely acute internal and external challenges. And these challenges have taken on a truly dramatic character.
Along with Dmitry Novikov, the following took part in the discussion:
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Andrey Denisov , Senator of the Russian Federation;
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Yu Yunquan , Deputy Director of the PRC Office of Publication and Dissemination of Literature in Foreign Languages;
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Chang Xuhong , Plenipotentiary Minister of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Russian Federation;
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Galina Kulikova , First Deputy Chairperson of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society;
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Sun Zhuangzhi , Director of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences;
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Yuri Tavrovsky , head of the expert council of the Russian-Chinese Committee of Friendship, Peace and Development.
We offer the text of Dmitry Novikov’s speech to our readers.
For many years now, the beginning of spring in China has been marked by a key political event: the “Two Sessions.” These are sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Their holding clearly demonstrates the democratic nature of China’s political system.
Contrary to Western propaganda, the NPC and the CPPCC represent the interests of all groups. For example, the 2,169 CPPCC members are nominated by dozens of people’s organizations, industries, ethnic and religious groups. Nothing similar can be said about Western bourgeois democracy, which is tightly controlled by large oligarchic capital.
The “Two Sessions” discuss the most important national development tasks. These include current legislation, socioeconomic development plans for the coming year, and—as this year—for the next five-year period.
The main conclusion that the session participants were able to draw from was this: China has demonstrated impressive resilience. And this, in my view, is directly related to the fact that Beijing did not flinch in the face of the imperialist forces’ advance.
Donald Trump returned to the White House under the slogan “peace through strength.” China was declared the main threat to US power. It was expected to be the main victim of the tariff war. But the opposite has happened: US farmers and workers are suffering. Last year, farm bankruptcies rose sharply. On December 8, Trump was forced to allocate $12 billion in additional agricultural aid. 65,000 jobs were lost in the manufacturing industry. Real US GDP growth for 2025 was 0.5% lower than projected at the beginning of the year.
China is confidently resisting attempts at punitive measures. This is evident from Premier Li Qiang’s report to the National People’s Congress (NPC). Last year, China’s trade surplus increased to $1.076 trillion, another historic high. China continues to sell three times more to the US than it buys. Beijing has significantly increased exports to ASEAN countries, Africa, Latin America, and even Europe.
Despite Trump’s best efforts, trade between China and the European Union grew by 5.4% in 2025. The trade surplus in Beijing’s favor increased by 18%. China remains a key trading partner for the EU. It’s fitting that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz have recently visited China.
China’s achievements on the domestic front are also impressive. By 2025, the country’s GDP grew by 5%, reaching 140.2 trillion yuan. Industrial production increased by 5.9%. Manufacturing grew by 6.4%. The high-tech sector demonstrated a 9.3% growth. Labor productivity increased by more than 6%. Grain production reached 715 million tons. Overall, over the 14th Five-Year Plan, China’s economic growth was equivalent to Germany’s annual GDP.
It’s important that China’s leadership isn’t captivated by “bare figures” or obsessed with growth for its own sake. As Li Qiang emphasized, socioeconomic policy emphasizes quality development and stability. A prime example is the increase in production of new-energy vehicles to over 16 million units.
Beijing has set a target economic growth of 4.5–5% for the current year. Consumer price growth is expected to remain below 2%. This target is expected to be met through measures to expand domestic demand, stabilize employment, and support state-owned companies.
The State Council of the People’s Republic of China places great emphasis on technological development and industrial modernization. This is aimed at creating a new level of productive capacity. The country’s technological independence is especially important in the context of global turbulence.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan, China intends to actively strengthen its domestic market. Measures to expand domestic demand and improve living standards include: promoting quality employment; developing and implementing a plan to increase urban and rural incomes; improving education, child and elderly care, and healthcare. A solid foundation must be laid for the concept of a “healthy China.” A healthy and cultured lifestyle will be promoted.
Of course, socioeconomic policy cannot be considered in isolation from the international situation. This must be kept in mind, especially now, when imperialist forces are actively using hybrid warfare. They stop at nothing to attack the economic, informational, and cultural security of their adversaries. Beijing understands this well.
Chinese scholars, politicians, and government officials have carefully studied all cases of “color revolutions.” They began with the causes and methods of the collapse of the Soviet Union. As is customary, the “two sessions” devote considerable attention to security and defense issues.
A plenary session of the delegations of the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police Force was held. Speaking at the session, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for advancing the modernization of China’s national defense and armed forces. The tasks of ruthlessly combating corruption and strengthening the leadership role of Party organizations at all levels were set. Xi Jinping called for strengthening the professional training of key personnel. While preserving and developing the best Party and army traditions, it is necessary to promote the formation of a strong military culture in the new era.
The US interventions against Venezuela and Iran and the threat to invade Cuba demonstrate that Western capital is no longer restraining its expansionism. This requires China to build strong defensive barriers. At the Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress, its representative Lou Qinjian emphasized that the Chinese people will not allow external forces to interfere in their internal affairs, and that China and the United States must respect each other, coexist peacefully, and strive for mutually beneficial cooperation. No country can impose everything it wants on the world.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s speech helps us understand the essence of Beijing’s course on the global stage. " Isolation leads nowhere; strength lies in unity ," Wang Yi emphasized. " The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the rise of the state… will be achieved only through peaceful development, and not through domination and expansion, as traditional powers once did… China is ready to work hand in hand with all partners, with firm will and practical actions, to transform a community with a shared future for mankind from a vision into a reality ."
So, our neighbors are fully prepared to meet the most serious threats. As the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China stated: " Domestically, we focused on what matters most—our own affairs: we improved policy coordination. By preparing for the worst but striving for the best, we managed not only to maintain macroeconomic stability and achieve new progress in qualitative development, but also significantly strengthened the spirit and confidence of society ." And the moral and psychological state of society, its mood, is truly very important.
Beijing is successfully implementing major national projects, including the aerospace program, artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum technologies, and new energy. Large-scale development of high-speed rail is also continuing. And all of this is being achieved on a socialist foundation.
China’s multifaceted successes are due to the leadership of the Communist Party and the planned nature of the country’s economy. Thus, the PRC confidently dispels all myths about the “inefficiency of socialism.”