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c OMMUNITY NEWSMMUNITY NEWS
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— China Daily Op-Ed —

Five-year plan offers US new

cooperation path

This article was written by Harley Seyedin and James Eric Black, and originally published
on China Daily, July 10, 2025.

hina's five-year plans have been instrumental in Rather than reducing engagement, the emerging
Cthe country's modernization and development global environment calls for practical, forward-
for the past more than seven decades. This year looking cooperation between the two sides. In
marks the conclusion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan this regard, the 15th Five-Year Plan could play a
(2021-25) period, and the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026- major role in facilitating cooperation by creating
30) will outline strategies to navigate uncertainties mechanisms that align with their shared interests.
through policies described as "high-standard The key areas for enhanced US-China economic
opening-up", and focus on the development of "new cooperation in the 15th Five-Year Plan are likely
quality productive forces".Terms such as "high- to include sustainable development and climate to better protect intellectual property rights and
standard opening-up" and "new quality productive solutions. China is expected to continue its maintain data transparency.
forces" reflect the Chinese leadership's evolving drive to realize its dual climate goal: peaking Of course, the digital economy will be a pillar
economic and political agenda. carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving of the 15th Five-Year Plan, with its goals likely
carbon neutrality before 2060. The plan will likely
The Chinese leadership also realizes the importance place strong emphasis on clean energy, energy to include infrastructure upgrade, expanded
of the country's economic relationship with the efficiency, circular economic practices and green 5G coverage and digital trade facilitation. This
United States. The China-US economic relationship urban development. should open other areas of mutual benefit such as
is not only vast but also essential to global stability. cooperation in cross-border e-commerce, logistics
Despite evolving dynamics and strategic competition, The expectation is that the US will collaborate in and cloud services, interoperability of digital
the world's two largest economies remain deeply more solar, wind and hydrogen energy technologies, payment systems and digital trade platforms,
intertwined economically-linked by supply chains, establish new joint ventures in green building and shared digital governance frameworks that
markets, investments, and innovation ecosystems. materials and energy storage, and participate in support fair and open access.
This interdependence creates a strong foundation China's carbon trading and climate finance markets.
for continued Sino-US cooperation, especially as Healthcare and life sciences are other fields in which Furthermore, financial liberalization is expected
China officially unveils its 15th Five-Year Plan. the two sides can strengthen collaboration. to be advanced, and reforms may continue
China's demographic trends, including a rapidly focusing on deeper capital markets, innovation with transparent policy environments. Such initiatives
The five-year plans are much more than policy aging population, call for innovation in and universal in green and inclusive finance, and broader can reduce friction, increase predictability, and
documents. They serve as strategic road maps access to healthcare. And since the plan is likely participation by international institutions. And ensure that economic engagement continues to
shaping China's economic, social and geopolitical to encourage digital healthcare infrastructure and US firms may find new opportunities in areas evolve in a mutually beneficial direction.
trajectories. Accordingly, the 15th Five-Year Plan is telemedicine partnerships, the US and China could such as asset management, insurance, fintech
expected to set the strategic direction for China's deepen cooperation in these fields, especially ventures, environmental, social and corporate The new five-year plan will be a vision for shared
prosperity, and offer a unique opportunity to build
development in a new phase of modernization. because US companies are global leaders in governance, sustainable finance partnerships, and
Also, the plan offers a key opportunity to the US to pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and digital joint platforms for the internationalization of the bridges. For US companies, it represents a chance
strengthen bilateral collaboration, and will create a healthcare and eldercare services. renminbi and capital allocation. to engage with one of the world's most dynamic
myriad of new opportunities for foreign, including markets in areas that matter for the future-clean
US, businesses. Innovation, however, will remain at the heart of We expect the 15th Five-Year Plan's institutional energy, public health, advanced technology and
China's development policy. The 15th Five-Year Plan mechanisms to expand long-term cooperation and inclusive finance.
Besides, Sino-US trade and investment ties remain is expected to give a shot in the arm of advance engagement between US and Chinese stakeholders
robust. In 2024, bilateral trade exceeded $580 billion, manufacturing, semiconductor, artificial intelligence, through public-private dialogue platforms to address Together, the US and China can show that
and many US companies continue to see China robotics and space technology sectors. Keeping regulatory and trade issues. The plan also calls for economic cooperation and strategic competition
as a vital market for growth, manufacturing and that goal in mind, China may build more technology joint innovation hubs in fields such as climate tech can coexist, and that collaboration — when rooted
innovation. On the other hand, China has benefited parks with foreign R&D centers, set standards for and AI, education, and talent exchange programs in in transparency, mutual respect and common
from US technology, capital and services. AI ethics and cybersecurity, and take measures order to increase knowledge-sharing, and regional purpose — can deliver meaningful benefits to the two
demonstration zones for foreign-invested enterprises countries and the world.

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