Five-year plans of China

In the People's Republic of China, five-year plans are important sets of ideas for social and economic development that the Chinese Communist Party has created since 1953. These plans help guide how the country grows and changes over five years. Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party has used meetings called plenums and national party congresses to shape the Chinese economy.

Planning is a big part of socialist economies, and each five-year plan gives detailed instructions for all regions of the country. As China changed from a Soviet-style command economy to a socialist market economy, the plans from 2006 to 2010 were called "guidelines" instead of "plans" to better match this change. These plans are important because they help decide how China will grow and improve over time.

Role

China's Five-Year Plans help organize many important areas of the country, such as environmental protection, education, and industrial policy. These plans set goals for the government and show how to reach them.

Creating a new plan usually takes two to three years. It starts with simple ideas from the CCP Central Committee and grows into detailed plans made by the State Council. These plans are approved by the National People's Congress and guide the country's work for the next five years. They help make sure everyone works together toward common goals.

First Plan (1953–1957)

Main article: 1st Five-Year Plan (China)

After rebuilding its economy, China’s leaders aimed to change the country into a socialist nation. They looked to the Soviet Union for guidance and support. The main focus was building up industries, and with help from the Soviet Union, China started creating new factories and industries, especially in the northeast part of the country.

The plan aimed to improve farming by grouping farmers together to work cooperatively. The government also took control of many businesses. While the plan faced challenges in farming, it helped China grow its industries and increase production, reaching levels higher than before the wars. Even though building cities wasn’t a main goal, many new cities grew as industries expanded. By 1956, China had made big changes to its economy.

Second Plan (1958–1962)

Main article: 2nd Five-Year Plan (China)

See also: Great Leap Forward

This plan aimed to grow China's industry and improve farming, trade, and transport. It also wanted to boost science, strengthen defense, and raise living standards.

Although industry grew quickly, problems arose. Many farmers were moved to work in factories, and bad weather hurt crops. Some leaders reported having more food than they really did, which caused serious food shortages across the country.

Third Plan (1966–1970)

Main article: 3rd Five-Year Plan (China)

The 3rd Plan was supposed to start in 1963, but China's economy was struggling too much after the Great Leap Forward and several bad harvests. Because of this, there was no plan for the years 1963 to 1965.

The 3rd Plan wanted to help people have better everyday items like food and clothes. However, because of worries about possible conflicts, the plan changed to focus more on building up national defense, science and technology, and important industries. This shift happened after an incident in the Gulf of Tonkin, which made leaders fear that the United States might attack China. Because of these concerns, the plan started to prioritize preparing for defense and building strong industries.

Fourth Plan (1971–1975)

Main article: 4th Five-Year Plan (China)

The Fourth Five Year Plan focused on making things closer to home and smaller. It chose projects that used less money and more local workers instead of big, expensive plans that needed help from other countries.

Fifth Plan (1976–1980)

Main article: 5th Five-Year Plan (China)

In 1975, leaders in China created a plan to help grow the country’s economy over ten years, which included a five-year plan from 1976 to 1980. In 1978, they changed some goals because they were too hard to reach. They wanted to build a strong system for industry and the economy by 1980.

By 1977, the country saw good growth in farming and factories. In 1978, the economy grew even faster than before. But the fast growth caused problems, so leaders decided to slow down and focus on doing things more carefully. They started new ways to improve the economy in 1979.

Sixth Plan (1981–1985)

Main article: 6th Five-Year Plan (China)

The 6th Five-Year Plan was created to help China's economy grow. It started in 1981 and ended in 1985. Before this plan, there was a bigger plan called the "Ten Year National Economic Development Plan Outline for 1976–1985." But in 1980, leaders decided to change how they made these plans. The plan was finally approved in December 1982 by the 5th National People's Congress.

This plan was important because it was the first to support making solar power panels. Since then, every Five-Year Plan has included support for solar energy.

Seventh Plan (1986–1990)

Main article: 7th Five-Year Plan (China)

In 1985, leaders in China met to create plans for growth from 1986 to 1990. This was the first time China made a full plan for both the economy and society at the start of a five-year period.

The plan aimed to help coastal areas grow faster, with other parts of the country supporting them. Each area was encouraged to use its own strengths. Coastal regions focused on improving old industries and making new products, while western areas worked on farming and processing. Central regions concentrated on energy, building, and minerals.

Eighth Plan (1991–1995)

Main article: 8th Five-Year Plan (China)

The Eighth Plan lasted from 1991 to 1995. It focused on helping China's economy grow and improve people's lives during this time. The Chinese government used this plan to set goals and guide development across the country.

Ninth Plan (1996–2000)

Main article: 9th Five-Year Plan (China)

The Ninth Plan was created to help China grow and improve between 1996 and 2000. It was part of a long tradition of plans made by the Chinese Communist Party to guide the country's development. These plans help decide important goals for the country over five years.

Tenth Plan (2001–2005)

Main article: 10th Five-Year Plan (China)

During the 10th Five-Year Plan, the focus changed from just growing more to improving the way China grows. The plan aimed to make changes that would help both the economy and society become stronger and better.

The plan highlighted the importance of science, technology, and skilled people to help China become one of the world’s leading nations. It also aimed to grow services, increase demand within the country, develop areas far from cities, and support the environment. Goals included planting more trees, making cities greener, and reducing pollution.

Eleventh Plan (2006–2010)

Main article: 11th Five-Year Plan (China)

The 11th Five-Year Plan was created after looking closely at the 10th plan. It introduced special goals called "binding targets," which were promises made by the government. These targets were used in areas like taking care of the environment and managing land. Out of 22 goals in the plan, eight were binding targets. These targets became part of how local leaders were judged for their work. The plan also started using the word "programs" instead of "plans" for organizing resources.

Twelfth Plan (2011–2015)

Main article: 12th Five-Year Plan

The 12th Five-Year Plan was discussed in October 2010 during a meeting of the Chinese Communist Party. It was officially approved in March 2011. This plan focused on helping people by shifting attention from big investments to things like shopping and daily needs. It also aimed to help areas away from big cities and the coast by building smaller cities and green spaces. The plan emphasized protecting the environment, making life fairer for everyone, and improving services like schools and hospitals to support families and create jobs. The goal was to help more people find work and improve living conditions across the country.

Thirteenth Plan (2016–2020)

Main article: 13th Five-Year Plan

The 13th Five-Year Plan continued ideas from the plan before it. It aimed to grow services, help more people move to cities, and build better support for families. The plan also focused on new ideas and inventions, working toward a fair and successful country. It began the "Made in China 2025" plan to improve local products.

Fourteenth Plan (2021–2025)

Main article: 14th Five-Year Plan

The 14th Five-Year Plan was created during meetings in October 2020. Important leaders guided the process, making sure the plan was well-prepared.

This plan was made during a difficult time because of problems between China and the United States, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan focuses on growing services, helping more people live in cities, and making sure everyone has support when they need it. It also looks at ways to help older people and encourages new inventions and technology.

Fifteenth Plan (2026–2030)

Main article: 15th Five-Year Plan

The 15th Five-Year Plan will cover the years 2026 to 2030. Planning for this plan started in December 2023. One of its goals may be to help grow the economy a lot, following a target set by the leader of China.