You Are Pakistan

By Yu Yunquan

In an era defined by geopolitical uncertainty, China’s unwavering policies are increasingly seen as an anchor of stability. As China wrapped up its annual “two sessions,” international observers noted that its steady approach is providing a counterweight to global turbulence.

China has steadily carved out a role as a diplomatic mediator, favoring dialogue over discord. It has consistently advocated for peace and dialogue, taking measured and impartial stances on conflicts such as the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. By maintaining an objective posture, China is a thoughtful and stabilizing presence in global diplomacy.

During China’s “two sessions,” Pakistan Observer noted in an article that many developing nations look to China for leadership in combating protectionism and promoting a new, fairer world economic order.

China’s resolve to maintain economic stability is clear. In 2024, the nation’s economy grew by 5 percent year on year, continuing to contribute around 30 percent of global economic growth, while remaining a major trading partner for more than 150 countries and regions.

Looking ahead, China has set an economic growth target of around 5 percent for 2025, reinforcing its commitment to sustained international economic cooperation. As Chinese modernization progresses steadily, its development model increasingly serves as a reference point for many developing nations – a trend that underscores the Global South’s pursuit of modernization.

Beyond economics, China also works to promote mutual learning among civilizations. By emphasizing mutual understanding and cooperation, China advocates for dialogue to resolve disputes and encourages unity to counter division. This approach reflects China’s belief that tackling global challenges requires both practical strategies and the nurturing of international goodwill. The Global Civilizations Initiative, drawing on China’s time-honored cultural heritage, represents its efforts to promote mutual learning and cultural exchanges across the world.

According to the 2024 China National Image Global Survey conducted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies across 30 major countries, China’s international favorability has reached its highest level in a decade, reflecting the growing recognition of its stabilizing role on the world stage.

The year 2025 will be crucial for both China and the world – a pivotal moment linking past achievements to future progress.

Eighty years ago, China was a key force in the global fight against Fascism, enduring immense sacrifice and preserving a legacy in the struggle for peace and justice.

Today, China’s steady approach continues to shape global stability. As an “enabler,” it seeks to promote world peace, drive global development, and defend the international order. Through initiatives like the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilizations Initiative, it aims to foster international cooperation and build a community with a shared future for mankind.

(Yu Yunquan is vice president of China International Communications Group.)

By He Yin, People’s Daily

Amid rising protectionism and headwinds against economic globalization, international observers is increasingly scrutinize how China collaborates with partners to drive shared development.

The past year witnessed China actively constructing a new system for a higher-level open economy while achieving measurable advancements in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed by China, stands as a significant international public good and serves as a vital platform for fostering a more inclusive and mutually beneficial form of economic globalization. 

Built upon the principles of planning together, building together and benefiting together, the initiative has attracted participation from over 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations. The sectors and scope of Belt and Road cooperation have continued to expand, while the level of cooperation has been further elevated.

This initiative has created a cooperation platform for common development and helped many developing countries speed up their march toward modernization.

The BRI embodies China’s vision for bridging the global development gap. Through a systematic and multi-level cooperation framework, it directly addresses key global development challenges.

The initiative strengthens development foundations through “hard connectivity” in infrastructure, eliminates institutional barriers through “soft connectivity” in policy coordination, and fosters people-to-people bonds through “people-to-people connectivity.” It injects new energy into addressing global issues such as infrastructure bottlenecks, lack of development momentum, and weak governance capacity.

The BRI has breathed new life into global trade by enhancing economic connectivity. With the operation of the China-Laos Railway, fruits freshly picked in Southeast Asian countries can reach markets in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan province on the same day via the Lancang-Mekong Express service of the China-Laos Railway.

The gantry cranes at Greece’s Piraeus Port are operating at full capacity, while the China-Europe Land-Sea Express Line cuts previous Asia-Europe cross-border transportation by five to 10 days.

In Peru, the opening of the Chancay Port has cut single-trip sea transport time between China and Peru to 23 days, slashing logistics costs by over 20 percent.

The construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway is underway, and key projects such as the China-Vietnam cross-border trains and Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link have made significant progress, creating new momentum for global connectivity and expanding space for world economic growth.

The BRI serves as a driving force for global modernization. The modernization China pursues is not for China alone, but for all developing countries through joint efforts. This reflects the broad vision of Chinese modernization in creating a new model for human advancement.

Global modernization should be pursued to enhance peaceful development and mutually beneficial cooperation and bring prosperity to all. This aligns seamlessly with the vision and goals of the BRI.

In the new era, China’s Juncao technology is bringing prosperity to people in a number of developing countries; the Lancang-Mekong Sweet Spring Project has improved livelihood in the region; the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway accelerates the modernization of cities along its route.

These micro-level transformations are collectively shaping a macro development landscape. By prioritizing development, the BRI helps partner countries build new engines of economic growth, unlock development potential, and create broader opportunities for modernization worldwide.

The BRI also embodies China’s commitment to carrying forward the Silk Road spirit. The Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit is the most important source of strength for Belt and Road cooperation.

This spirit is consistent with the ideal of “all states joining together in harmony and peace” long upheld by the Chinese nation, with the Chinese people’s principles of amity, good neighborliness and “helping others to succeed while seeking our own success,” and with the call of the times for peace, development and win-win cooperation.

Throughout history and today, China has consistently championed resolving differences through dialogue, opposing division through solidarity, and promoting development through cooperation – an approach that defines its role as an “enabler” in the global arena.

This vision is also at the heart of the BRI. In a world undergoing profound transformation, upheaval, and changes unseen in a century, the BRI serves as a vital source of positive energy.

As high-quality Belt and Road cooperation continues to focus on delivering high-standard, sustainable and people-centered projects, China will work with all partners to create new opportunities and contribute to global development and prosperity.

By He Yin, People’s Daily

At China’s recent annual “two sessions,” Chinese modernization once again captured global attention. International observers are closely following a range of new measures designed not only to accelerate Chinese domestic transformation but also to unlock fresh opportunities for global development.

They believe that Chinese modernization, built on a foundation of openness and cooperation, will continue to yield global benefits with each new milestone.

Today, China stands as a formidable force in the global economy – accounting for around 18 percent of the global economy and nearly 30 percent of world manufacturing output. Year after year, the nation has contributed about 30 percent to global economic growth. With import and export records with almost all countries and regions designated in the United Nations Statistics Division, the country is a major trading partner for more than 150 countries and regions. In 2024, its exports to over 160 countries and regions saw growth.

Often hailed as the “world’s largest developing country,” the “second-largest economy,” “world’s factory,” “global market,” and “innovation powerhouse,” China is increasingly viewed as a beacon of stability and progress.

In recent years, high-profile events such as the seventh China International Import Expo – where intended deals exceeded $80 billion – and the establishment of over 1.239 million foreign-invested enterprises have reinforced the nation’s reputation as a vast, dynamic market.

Meanwhile, policies encouraging Chinese companies to “go global” have seen a steady stream of new technologies, goods, and services permeate international markets, knitting the country ever tighter into global value chains and bolstering its commitment to win-win cooperation.

The influence of Chinese modernization is evident far beyond its borders. In the Central African Republic, President Faustin-Archange Touadera has repeatedly screened China’s political documentary Carry the Reform Through to the End for cabinet discussions, while officials in Uzbekistan are adapting China’s poverty-reduction experience to suit their national context. These moves challenge the assumption that modernization must follow Western models, suggesting that China’s alternative pathway offers a viable route to development.

Beyond economic growth, Chinese modernization is increasingly celebrated for its potential to foster win-win cooperation and shared prosperity.

Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), for example, Kazakhstan secured its first maritime access and Laos launched its first modern railway. Support from the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund has propelled over 160 projects, benefiting more than 30 million people. Moreover, China has given all the least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines, signaling its commitment to an open and inclusive global economy.

China’s modernization agenda also tackles global challenges head on. In response to global environmental risks, China advocates for building a community of all life on the Earth. To bridge the digital and AI divide, it has launched the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All to ensure that technological advancements benefit every corner of the globe.

On the security front, China continues to promote dialogue and reconciliation in conflict zones while engaging in multilateral security collaborations, reinforcing its reputation as a nation committed to peace and stability. 

By proposing initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilizations Initiative, China is not just charting its own course toward modernization but championing an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization – one that seeks to ensure that no nation is left behind on the path to prosperity.

The global appeal of Chinese modernization is far from accidental. Decades of reform and opening up have accelerated its development while enabling the country to contribute to global governance. On the international stage, it has taken on a leadership role – actively shaping global norms, building a community with a shared future for mankind, and advancing world peace and development. By sharing its successful experiences and technological advancements, the country seeks to help other developing countries chart their own courses toward progress.

With over 1.4 billion people engaged in this modernization journey – a number that surpasses the total population of all developed countries combined – China’s approach is redefining the global modernization landscape. For China, modernization is not solely a national endeavor but a blueprint for global progress – a vision that promises a more inclusive future for all.

By Ding Yiting, Meng Xiangfu, People’s Daily

In its latest government work report, China has set an economic growth target of around 5 percent for 2025 – a figure officials describe as a pragmatic balance between domestic realities and global uncertainties.

Shen Danyang, head of the group responsible for drafting this year’s government work report and director of the Research Office of China’s State Council, noted that the target was “calibrated to China’s actual conditions and the laws governing economic development after thorough research and deliberation.” 

From an objective perspective, a 5 percent growth rate is essential not only for stabilizing employment and mitigating risks but also for improving livelihoods and enhancing China’s international competitiveness.

“Without a certain growth rate, efforts to expand employment, curb risks, and raise incomes would lack a material foundation,” said Huang Qunhui, a national political advisor from the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, adding that the target dovetails with China’s recent economic trends and its longer-term goal of achieving socialist modernization by 2035.

Wei Qijia, director of the industrial economy research office at the State Information Center’s Department of Economic Forecasting, which is part of China’s National Development and Reform Commission, stated that the target signals China’s determination to overcome current challenges and sustain progress. “It reassures the markets and underscores our commitment to steady development,” she said.

Shen added that meeting the country’s development goals hinges on three key pillars – sustained growth momentum, robust capacity, and targeted policy support. He expressed confidence that, with these elements in place, China will achieve its growth target for this year.

China’s economic scale remains formidable. In 2024, the country’s GDP surpassed 130 trillion yuan ($17.97 trillion). The country has long been a vital engine of global growth, contributing about 30 percent to worldwide economic expansion. 

“China’s supersized market, complete industrial system, and abundant human resources equip it to navigate complex challenges. The fundamentals sustaining China’s long-term growth remain unchanged,” Huang observed.

Technological innovation also continues to bolster China’s economic ambitions. Recent milestones range from the Chang’e-6 lunar probe’s historic sampling on the moon’s far side to the global debut of AI model DeepSeek, not to mention the launch of the third-generation superconducting quantum computer to the unveiling of the CR450 bullet train prototype.

In 2024, the value-added output of China’s high-tech manufacturing and equipment manufacturing sectors grew by 8.9 percent and 7.7 percent, respectively, while new energy vehicle production surpassed 13 million units. These advances, fueling the development of new quality productive forces and industrial upgrades, are expected to create “multiplier effects” that will further invigorate the economy.

On the fiscal front, the Chinese government is taking an assertive stance. For the first time, the government work report highlights “a more proactive fiscal policy,” with expenditure in the general public budget projected at 29.7 trillion yuan, an increase of 1.2 trillion yuan over last year. These measures will stimulate consumption, improve livelihoods and help remove bottlenecks in economic circulation.

The report also charts a course for deeper reforms in key areas, aimed at removing institutional barriers impeding development and fostering a fairer and more dynamic market environment.

Efforts to develop a unified national market and further reform the fiscal, taxation and financial systems are seen as key to unleashing policy dividends, spurring innovation, and reinforcing domestic growth drivers.

As China’s paramount legislative and advisory assemblies convene this week for their annual sessions, the global spotlight shifts to Beijing. The “Two Sessions” — the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) — commenced on March 5th and March 4th respectively, providing a crucial insight into the nation’s policy directions.

These gatherings serve as pivotal indicators of China’s political and economic course. This year’s “two sessions” bring together nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and over 2,000 CPPCC members to deliberate on state affairs, exemplifying the country’s commitment to whole-process people’s democracy.

A pertinent question arises: Do the recommendations and proposals put forward by NPC deputies and CPPCC members actually influence policy? The data speaks volumes.

In 2024, government departments under China’s State Council addressed 8,783 suggestions from NPC deputies, accounting for 95.1 percent of all submissions, and 4,813 proposals from members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, representing 96.1 percent of total submissions.

More than 5,000 recommendations were formally adopted across ministries, resulting in the enactment of over 2,000 targeted policy measures. These efforts have accelerated progress in key areas: fostering high-quality economic development, advancing the national strategy to revitalize China through science and education, driving comprehensive rural revitalization, and safeguarding and elevating public well-being.

Each motion, suggestion, and proposal underscores meticulous research and resolute commitment. Legislators and political advisors not only benefit from structured avenues to articulate insights but also observe concrete policy impacts stemming from their contributions.

As new energy vehicles (NEVs) gain traction among China’s younger demographics, post-purchase servicing has risen to prominence as a critical challenge. NPC deputy Cao Jingfang dedicated six months to scrutinizing the issue, conducting site visits to maintenance facilities and engaging industry specialists before formally offering suggestions for NEV aftercare infrastructure.

In a decisive response, China’s Ministry of Transport pledged to establish a robust regulatory framework encompassing 32 standards spanning technical certifications, service benchmarks, and inspection protocols. Concurrently, the ministry is spearheading efforts to formally classify “NEV maintenance technician” as a state-recognized profession, thereby institutionalizing workforce development for this burgeoning sector.

State mechanisms, as evidenced here, continue to serve as pivotal conduits for translating deliberative input into actionable governance.

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs processed and formally responded to 313 legislative recommendations from NPC deputies alongside 174 advisory proposals from CPPCC members in 2024, with priorities centered on eldercare systems, social welfare modernization, and administrative governance reforms.

The ministry implemented a three-phase protocol—preliminary stakeholder consultation, real-time progress briefings, and outcome accountability reviews—to systematize policymaking. To deepen alignment, officials institutionalized direct participation by inviting NPC deputies and CPPCC members into ministerial forums, joint research task forces, and draft policy deliberations, ensuring expert input directly informed regulatory agendas.

This structured engagement yielded 24 codified regulatory actions over the past fiscal year, with more than 220 recommendations integrated into operational or strategic frameworks.

For NPC deputies and CPPCC members, participation in the two sessions is both an honor and a responsibility, with their performance subject to evaluation.

Many regions have introduced evaluation mechanisms for NPC deputies based on their attendance, constituent engagement, and the quality of their motions and suggestions. This year, the NPC will review the draft amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels, further defining their responsibilities and requiring regularly performance reports.

During the NPC, deputies will deliberate on the government’s work report, and the work report of the NPC Standing Committee, the Supreme People’s Court, and Supreme People’s Procuratorate. They will also review the government’s annual budgets and national development plans.

These reports, which outline legislative, administrative, and judicial developments, as well as how government funds are allocated, undergo rigorous scrutiny before final approval, ensuring the smooth operation of state institutions.

Besides, NPC deputies and CPPCC members also engage in inspections, research projects, and law enforcement oversight, submit motions, suggestions, and proposals, engage in deliberations, make inquiries, take part in elections and voting, and attend biweekly consultative sessions. They fulfill their duties in accordance with the law and serve the people wholeheartedly.

As the “two sessions” unfold, NPC deputies and CPPCC members carry with them the voices and aspirations of all sectors of society. Their discussions will help shape national development and public policy, ensuring that the concerns of citizens are heard at the highest levels of government. In this dynamic exchange between policymakers and the public, China’s governance model continues to evolve, translating suggestions and proposals into tangible progress.

By Liu Nian, People’s Daily

China stands at a pivotal juncture as its demographic landscape shifts: birth rates continue to fall while the proportion of citizens aged 60 or older has surpassed 20% of the total population, according to its National Bureau of Statistics. This “silver wave” coincides with the nation’s push toward common prosperity, yet it raises a pressing paradox—how to reconcile rapid ageing with the challenge of achieving widespread affluence.

Does this demographic transition signal the erosion of China’s famed population dividend? Or can evolving definitions of productivity and innovation redefine its economic trajectory?

The answer lies in untangling the interplay between demographic trends, policy frameworks, and economic resilience. While China’s meteoric rise since the 1980s was undeniably fueled by its vast labor pool, analysts argue that institutional strengths—from socialist governance with Chinese characteristics to decades of reform and opening-up—unleashed an economic miracle no less critical than sheer workforce size.

Quantity alone no longer dictates prosperity. Even as the working-age population contracts, policymakers emphasize that technology investment, upskilling initiatives, and capital inflows can mitigate labour shortages. A case in point is China’s burgeoning talent reservoir: over 240 million citizens now hold higher education qualifications, fostering a skilled workforce driving sectors from AI to green energy.

This pivot from “population dividend” to “talent dividend” underscores a strategic bet—that quality, not just numbers, will sustain China’s modernization. As automation and innovation hubs like the Greater Bay Area expand, the narrative shifts from demographic anxiety to human capital’s transformative potential. The ultimate test? Whether high-quality development can turn an ageing society into an engine of sustainable progress.

The correlation between population structures and economic dividends defies reductionist arithmetic. It demands the analytical rigour of multivariate calculus, where shifting age coefficients interact with technological vectors and institutional constants. This complexity necessitates a systems-level perspective to truly decipher the demographic dividend equation.

Contemporary economic modelling reveals a paradigm shift: the dividend manifests not merely through crude growth metrics, but through strategic activation of latent human capital. While youth demographics remain crucial, a silent revolution is emerging from an unexpected quadrant – silver-haired populations redefining post-retirement economic agency.

Historical anxieties about elderly technological alienation now confront empirical contradictions. The digital metamorphosis of China’s elderly cohort has become a socioeconomic epiphany. Where pundits once predicted generational obsolescence, silver-haired netizens now dominate Douyin livestreams, orchestrate Taobao storefronts, and curate Xiaohongshu tutorials with the acuity of digital natives.

China’s silver wave of 170 million senior netizens is reinvigorating the digital ecosystem, proving the nation’s demographic dividend maintains potent socioeconomic currency.

This cohort’s renaissance extends far beyond screens. From mist-shrouded Huangshan peaks where septuagenarians clad in Arc’teryx gear deploy DSLR rigs, to Beijing’s frost-kissed ski slopes where grandmothers carve parallel turns, their vitality mirrors youth culture’s intensity. The lifelong learning revolution sees retired accountants mastering Python through digital lecture while former teachers monetize calligraphy tutorials – wisdom economies thriving.

Official metrics quantify the movement: China’s post-retirement cohort channels over700 billion yuan ($96.31 billion) yearly into cultural pursuits and wanderlust, with 35 million silver-haired scholars crowding digital academies and marathon finish lines witnessing a surge of septuagenarian sprinters – concrete manifestations of a nation where sunset years glow brightest.

China’s sunset years fuel economic engines rather than brake them, as evidenced by the  phenomenon achieving statecraft recognition. The codified “silver economy” now anchors national policy blueprints, while its lexical zeitgeist cousin “silver power” penetrated mainstream discourse through annual buzzword rankings. Concurrently, medical chaperone services and biographical scribing emerge as legitimate professions among youth entrepreneurs – tangible proof that demographic shifts birth new economic ecosystems.

China has unveiled a national geriatric framework blueprint, mandating creation of multi-tiered, equitable geriatric care apparatus spanning megacities to agrarian counties. The policy white paper prioritizes market-driven eldercare industrialization to address China’s “grey wave” – the coalescing demands of pensioners seeking tailored retirement ecosystems.

By tapping into the potential of an aging society, China aims to generate new economic dividends. The country’s top-level policy design is providing clear direction for future development.

A broader perspective reveals that addressing both the declining birth rate and population aging requires a balanced approach. Further deepening reforms and expanding opening up will provide fresh momentum for Chinese modernization, even amid demographic shifts.

In today’s China, whether young or old, the common goal is to move forward with confidence and live a better life.