A Surprising Model of Society
Year after year, China’s national economic and social development plan reveals a country still under construction. In fact, two nations are intertwined under the same name: a country committed to progress and modernity, and a selfish nation that neglects the elderly and children alike, and whose social protections remain inadequate. A country that has grown richer, but which has hardly evolved socially since the days of Maoism. When will China become more humane?
FACTS
Released in March 2024, the “Report on the Implementation of the 2023 National Economic and Social Development Plan and the Draft 2024 National Economic and Social Development Plan”1 did not attract the attention of the Western press despite the release of its English translation2. The same was true of previous reports. Yet these important documents offer a glimpse into the true nature of China and what it might become in the future. Here is a brief overview.
CHALLENGES
China today: two intertwined nations under a single name. A country committed to progress and modernity, and a self-centered nation still in the process of building itself. Ultimately, a society that could finally place value on individuals, on the person.
FORWARD-LOOKING COMMENTS
For those willing to read it, the report on the national economic and social development plan is a document that boils down to a list of projects to be carried out to build a modern China, yet in which social issues, individuals, and everyday Chinese society are only glimpsed in the background.
As is customary, it contains complacent macroeconomic commitments—a few paragraphs, one-tenth of the plan—from which we note the expected GDP growth: 5%. We must pause on this figure, which shows that China is still in the process of building itself. But the bulk of the report consists of the presentation of the projects that will shape the China of tomorrow.
Using scientific and technological innovation to drive the modernization of the industrial system and accelerate the development of new, high-quality productive forces
This includes both emerging and future industries as well as the transformation and modernization of traditional industries and their environment, with the aim of integrating digital technology into the real economy.
Developing a Chinese-style market economy
By fostering modern forms of consumption linked to investment, ensuring its profitability.
- To support industry, “we will strengthen citizens’ purchasing power and expectations, as well as their desire to spend.” With very specific objectives such as stabilizing demand for automobiles, furniture, and other consumer goods, without shying away from the details: providing more parking spaces or accelerating the construction of battery-charging stations. A policy with little regard for the environment that encourages the replacement of old cars, household appliances, and durable consumer goods.
- For new lifestyles, by promoting the development of tertiary consumer sectors such as cultural and recreational tourism, sporting events, and the development of ice and snow sports and winter tourism. The leisure activities of modern China.
Building a high-level socialist market economy
With a reevaluation of the credit system, whose disruptions caused by massive bankruptcies have highlighted the shortcomings and fragility of current commercial regulations. A restructuring that extends to regional institutions, as the central government has had to assume responsibility for clearing debts that have matured or are due to mature, amounting to $840 billion over the next five years3.
Once again, structural deficiencies are highlighted as Chinese society enters the modern era, in this case regarding law and financial regulations.
Eradicating rural areas that remain excluded from today’s China
The overarching objective is to ensure a minimum income, with the goal of eliminating poverty.
To achieve this, agricultural productivity must be increased, and to encourage production, the grain market must be better regulated and the minimum purchase price for wheat and rice raised. Additionally, territorial structures must be established. Established villages or even larger hamlets will have access to public services and will be accessible via paved roads. Administrative villages will benefit from classified roads, and towns and municipalities from roads of Level III or higher. Rural areas will thus join the national community and will be able to find new sources of income with the arrival of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries.
These transformations and the increase in agricultural productivity will, in turn, trigger successive waves of migration toward major urban centers by people who find themselves unemployed. To welcome them and facilitate their integration, equitable access to basic public services, employment opportunities, housing assistance, and social insurance must be guaranteed.
This concludes the presentation of the plan’s main points. It is not until the final paragraphs of the report that societal expectations are finally addressed: “Take concrete measures to ensure and improve the well-being and standard of living of the population.”
But make no mistake: the initial focus is not on the support society must provide to individuals, but on the assistance it offers to help them integrate into a society that is progressing: “We will maintain stable employment and increase incomes […] We will refine the employment services system and guarantee employment for key groups such as higher education graduates, former military personnel, and rural migrant workers. ”
Only a few lines remain—mere paragraphs—to address social protections, population aging, family policy, and health.
§ As of early 2024, while 1.066 billion Chinese were enrolled in a pension scheme, only 244 million workers were covered by unemployment insurance and 302 million were insured against workplace accidents. No specific measures are proposed to go further: “We will strive to expand the coverage of social security programs, place basic old-age insurance funds for enterprise employees under unified national management, and implement the private pension system nationwide.”
§ A national strategy to meet the service expectations of the “silver-haired” generation. This is an urgent need, as China’s population aged 60 and over will have surpassed 300 million people—more than 22% of the population—making the country a “super-aged society.” “We are committed to building a system of care services for the elderly that integrates medical care, health care, and leisure activities right into their living environments .” A vast program that, however, faces reality. In 2023, 5.48 billion yuan—or $760 million, barely more than $2.50 per beneficiary—had been allocated to the fund supporting care services for the elderly.
§ Very little on birth rates and early childhood. 70 characters announcing the creation of a robust policy framework to support birth rates and reduce the burden of parenting and education on families. The goal is to build a society conducive to childbirth and, in the long term, ensure a balanced population. Intentions, nothing more.
§ The organization of healthcare is also phrased in the subjunctive: “We will strive to establish an efficient, high-quality medical and healthcare service system with Chinese characteristics throughout the country.” More medical centers at the regional, county, city, and even village levels to ensure equitable access to basic healthcare services. A program that suggests much remains to be done. Especially since it concludes with this admission of the mediocrity of hospital facilities: “Hospitals, regardless of type, will be reformed so that they can provide high-quality care.”
And that’s all there is to say about people.
The individual is still absent
China is still here, continuing to surprise us. It still has a long way to go in terms of deep-seated development.
But, more puzzlingly, the individual still has no place in the societal fabric of the world’s second-largest power, held up everywhere as a model. Individuals may thrive, but only as long as they participate in the system.
In this regard, in its societal assumptions, China has hardly evolved since the Maoist years; the individual still counts for little there. For the sake of global balance, we must hope that things can change without too much delay.
Edouard Valensi, Asie21
(1) https://www-gov.cn.translate.goog/yaowen/liebiao/202403/content_6939276.htm?_x_tr_sl=zh-CN&_x_tr_tl=fr&_x_tr_hl=fr&_x_tr_pto=sc
(2) https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202403/13/content_WS65f196f2c6d0868f4e8e50dc.html, March 13, 2024
(3) China Announces Plan to Bailout Local Government, WPR, November 8, 2024,
(4) Over one-fifth of Chinese population older than 60, says official report, Xinhua, October 12, 2024
Box 1
Birth Policy
While the birth deficit is far beyond a critical threshold, this is what China’s pro-birth policy amounts to in its economic and social development plan.
建立健全生育支持政策体系，大力发展普惠托育服务，减轻家庭生育、养育、教育负担，加强人口文化建设，推动建设生育友好型社会，促进人口长期均衡发展。
“Establish a robust system of policies supporting childbirth, vigorously develop inclusive childcare services, reduce the burden on families associated with childbirth, parenting, and education, strengthen the development of a population culture, promote the building of a childbirth-friendly society, and facilitate the long-term balanced development of the population.”
