New Achievements in China’s Developmentand New Opportunities in China-Sudan Relations——Insights from the China’s “Two Sessions”

written by Mr. XU Jian, Charge d’Affaires of Chinese Embassy in Sudan

Every year, China’s “Two Sessions” attract worldwide attention. They have been a “barometer” of China’s development and a window for the world to learn about our country. Recently, the Fourth Session of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Fourth Session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) were successfully concluded in Beijing. During the sessions, the Report on the Work of the Government and the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for national economic and social development were approved, and the Ecological and Environmental Code, the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, the National Development Planning Law were adopted. My most prominent insights of the China’s 2026 Two Sessions are as follows:
First, China has forged ahead with innovation-led and high-quality development. Looking back at the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China’s economic performance has been outstanding. In the past five years, China’s gross domestic product (GDP) has taken a new leap, surpassing 140 trillion RMB for the first time. This represents an average annual growth rate of 5.4 percent, significantly higher than that of other major economies and above the global average. China’s GDP increased by over 35 trillion RMB for five years, equivalent to the GDP size of a medium-sized economy. These remarkable achievements have been made in a grave and complex landscape, where external shocks and challenges were intertwined with domestic difficulties and policy choices. This fully demonstrates the Chinese economy’s steady progress, resilience under pressure, and vitality in moving toward innovation-led and high-quality development.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Chinese economy enjoys a promising future. This year is the first year of the plan’s implementation. It is also a critical year in advancing Chinese modernization. Despite various difficulties and challenges, the conditions for and underlying trend of long-term growth of the Chinese economy remain unchanged and will not change. China will apply the new development philosophy on all fronts, move faster to foster a new pattern of development and focus on boosting high-quality development, so that we are able to promote higher-quality economic growth while achieving an appropriate increase in economic output. This will bring much-needed stability and certainty to a turbulent world.
Second, China’s diplomacy has been proactive and productive. Over the past year, China’s diplomacy has yielded fruitful results. China successfully held the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. On these occasions, China’s voice for promoting common development of the world and defending international fairness and justice was heard. At the SCO Tianjin Summit, President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) which gained immediate endorsement and support from over 150 countries including Sudan and international organizations. It is a Chinese proposal for reforming and improving global governance. More and more countries have come to realize that China’s responsible diplomacy provides the most-needed stability and certainty to a world in turmoil and serves as an irreplaceable mainstay amid global turbulence.
This year, China’s diplomacy will become more proactive. In 2026, China will host major diplomatic events such as the 2nd China-Arab States Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting. As Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a press conference on the sidelines of the “Two Sessions”, “China has the most consistent foreign policy in the world. A stable China is a blessing for the world.” Through these diplomatic engagements, China will further advance its relations with the world in a positive direction, open up new space for building a community with a shared future for humanity, and enable the Chinese nation to make new, greater contributions to world peace and development.
Third, China-Sudan relations show broad prospects. China and Sudan enjoy traditional friendship. We are good friends who support each other, good partners who promote common development and good brothers who have a shared future. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 67 years ago, our relationship has achieved stable and sound development through fruitful, practical cooperation in various fields, setting a shining example of South-South cooperation. China-Sudan relations enter a new phase in history in 2015 when our two countries announced the strategic partnership. China and Sudan always show each other understanding and support on issues concerning our respective core interests and major concerns. China supports Sudan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and finding a development path suited to its own conditions, while Sudan always adheres to the one-China principle and supports the cause of China’s reunification.
2026 marks the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan. It offers a new blueprint for China’s development and a new vision of win-win cooperation with the rest of the world. Meanwhile, Sudan approved its government plan for 2026 not long ago, and announced that 2026 will serve as the base for the government’s five-year strategy for the period 2026-2030. We express congratulations on the approval of such plan. China will work with Sudan to strengthen exchanges of state governance experience, forge synergy between our development strategies and deepen practical cooperation in broader areas. This will further substantiate China-Sudan strategic partnership. This year is also designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. China will host a series of cultural exchange events in collaboration with Sudan and other African countries.
As the world’s most important force for peace, for stability and for justice, China stands ready to work with all like-minded countries including Sudan to pursue the noble goal of building a community with a shared future for humanity, and write new chapters of peace, development and win-win cooperation for our times.