13th Five-Year Plan

13th Five-Year Plan
Name	13th Five-Year Plan
Native name	十三五规划
Country	People's Republic of China
Period	2016–2020
Adopted	2016
Predecessor	12th Five-Year Plan
Successor	14th Five-Year Plan

13th Five-Year Plan The 13th Five-Year Plan was the national development blueprint adopted in 2016 to guide the People's Republic of China from 2016 to 2020. It was formulated by the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China, approved at the National People's Congress, and publicized alongside guidance from the State Council of the People's Republic of China and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The plan framed policy priorities amid trends visible in reports by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank.

Background and formulation

The plan's drafting occurred in the aftermath of shifts traced to events such as the Global Financial Crisis (2007–2008), the Belt and Road Initiative announcement, and policy signals from leaders including Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, and former cadres like Zhu Rongji. Technical studies were commissioned from institutions such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Development Research Center of the State Council, and universities including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Fudan University. Consultation rounds involved provincial delegations from Guangdong, Sichuan, and Jiangsu and input from ministries including the Ministry of Finance (China), the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, and the National Development and Reform Commission. International actors such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Development Programme, and the World Trade Organization provided analytical comparisons.

Core objectives and targets

The plan set targets for indicators like GDP growth, urbanization rate, and innovation capacity, referencing benchmarks from the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of China era documents and economic forecasts by the International Monetary Fund. Specific goals included upgrading manufacturing through programs echoing themes from Made in China 2025, boosting research at institutes such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and achieving poverty alleviation targets coordinated with the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development. Environmental aims aligned with commitments under the Paris Agreement and directives from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China. Social indicators invoked agencies like the National Health Commission (China), the Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

Economic and social policy measures

Policies emphasized supply-side structural reform as articulated by leaders and economic planners, blending instruments from the People's Bank of China, fiscal measures from the Ministry of Finance (China), and regulatory work by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Industrial policy favored high-tech sectors promoted by Tsinghua University spin-offs and firms such as Huawei, Tencent, Alibaba Group, and state-owned enterprises including China National Petroleum Corporation and China State Construction Engineering. Social measures included health initiatives linked to the National Health Commission (China) and educational reforms involving the Ministry of Education (People's Republic of China), with urbanization strategies affecting municipalities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing. Environmental policy references targeted cleanup programs in regions like the Yangtze River Economic Belt and coordination with agencies such as the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China.

Implementation and governance

Implementation relied on coordination between central organs—the Central Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs, the State Council of the People's Republic of China, and provincial governments of Shandong and Zhejiang—and local authorities in prefectures including Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Monitoring used statistical releases from the National Bureau of Statistics of China and oversight by bodies such as the National Development and Reform Commission and the Supreme People's Procuratorate for legal compliance. Fiscal tools included bond issuance overseen by the Ministry of Finance (China) and credit policy calibrated by the People's Bank of China, with involvement from commercial banks like the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and the Bank of China.

Major achievements and outcomes

Reported outcomes cited by agencies such as the National Bureau of Statistics of China included continued growth, industrial upgrading observable in firms like BYD Company and China Mobile, and infrastructure expansion exemplified by projects such as the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge and high-speed rail corridors linking Beijing and Shanghai. Environmental metrics improved in some regions following interventions connected to the Yangtze River Protection Law and pollution control actions by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China. Poverty reduction milestones were publicized via coordinated campaigns involving the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development and provincial bureaus in Yunnan and Guangxi. Scientific progress was highlighted by publications from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and initiatives at institutions such as Zhejiang University.

Criticisms and controversies

Critics from think tanks like the Brookings Institution, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and academia at Oxford University and Harvard University argued that targets favored state-backed conglomerates including China National Offshore Oil Corporation and constrained private firms. Environmental groups citing data from Greenpeace East Asia and the World Wildlife Fund questioned enforcement of pollution controls, while labor organizations and observers in Hong Kong and Guangzhou raised concerns about workers’ rights and implementation of reforms overseen by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Transparency critiques referenced reporting practices of the National Bureau of Statistics of China and investment patterns tracked by the World Bank.

International and regional implications

Internationally, the plan interacted with the Belt and Road Initiative and influenced trade relationships with partners including the European Union, the United States, Japan, and Australia. Regional infrastructure financing involved institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank (BRICS Development Bank), affecting corridors across Central Asia and Southeast Asia involving countries like Pakistan and Malaysia. Responses from multilateral institutions including the International Monetary Fund and bilateral dialogues with entities like the United States Department of Commerce and the European Investment Bank shaped perceptions of China's reform trajectory.

Category:Five-Year Plans of China