Seminar on the 15th Five-Year Plan of the People's Republic of China, given by the Shanghai Institute of Management

On May 25, the Shanghai Institute of Management (SAI) held an online seminar, "China's 15th Five-Year Plan and High-Quality Economic Development," for the Higher School of State and Government Cadres (ESCEG). The seminar was attended by over 30 executives who had graduated from ESCEG's programs and by faculty members. This seminar was conducted within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding for Continuity signed on July 8, 2025, between ESCEG and SAI. The lecture was delivered by Professor Li Dunrui, Director of the Postgraduate Division, who expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect via the online platform and recalled his visit to ESCEG in November 2019. Among the main topics discussed were: 1) China's macroeconomic situation, its risks and challenges; 2) The 15th Five-Year Plan: Deployment of High-Quality Economic Development and 3) Provisions for Economic Work in 2026. During the exchange, the Rector of ESCEG, Mercedes Delgado Fernández, inquired about the measures adopted to address two of the challenges of the 15th Five-Year Plan: the required growth of domestic demand and the reduction of local government debt. Among the main measures explained by the professor from SAI were: 1) comprehensive supply-side policies, such as attracting Chinese citizens to purchase Chinese products, and in the service sector, such as improving service quality; 2) organizing national festivals to create a city brand focused on domestic consumption; and 3) increasing employment and income, especially among the lower-middle-income group, which forms the basis of the people's well-being. Regarding the reduction of public debt, the professor argued for the need to strengthen education on the governance concepts of the Communist Party of China and to improve the training of cadres and officials to ensure proper performance and prevent high levels of local debt. Secondly, he commented on reforms to the tax system.