Before plenum, party paper calls China’s economy ‘unsinkable’ aircraft carrier

In a series of eight op-eds published in the Communist Party’s mouthpiece newspaper ahead of a meeting that will set the tone for China’s next five years of development, Beijing described the country’s economy as an “unsinkable economic aircraft carrier” capable of withstanding internal and external uncertainties.

“Through our actions, we show the world that the China ‘economic aircraft carrier’ is unsinkable, unbreakable and indestructible – undaunted by wind or rain, pressing forward relentlessly,” one of the eight articles said when touching on “trade protectionism and shrinking external demand”.

The fourth plenum of the party’s Central Committee, to be held from October 20 to 23

, is likely to provide an outline for the 15th five-year plan, a document that will summarise the country’s policy priorities for the rest of the decade.

Articles in the series repeatedly emphasised that China’s medium- to long-term planning strategy, including five-year plans, ensured policy continuity and consistent implementation, making the country’s future “fully predictable”.

“By contrast, some Western countries waver in their national policies, shifting on a whim and even putting history in reverse: once advocates of economic globalisation, now pursuing nation-first, self-isolating policies,” it added.

As China approaches its next five-year development phase, the series pointed to an ongoing economic transformation towards more innovation-driven growth, greater consumption-led development and greener, more balanced progress.