China has unveiled one of its most far-reaching national development blueprints in recent years, signaling major shifts in global economics, diplomacy, and security and opening what Beijing calls “new opportunities” for developing nations including Liberia.
The announcements emerged from the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in Beijing from October 20–23, 2025, where the party approved recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan the document that will guide the world’s second-largest economy from 2026 to 2030.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in a closed-door report to the session, said China is entering a decisive stage toward its 2035 modernization goals, stressing that the next five years will determine the country’s ability to “basically achieve socialist modernization.”
A Blueprint with Global Consequences
The CPC declared that China’s economic strength, technology capacity, and global influence have reached “new heights,” and emphasized that the next five years will be shaped by both major opportunities and complex geopolitical risks.
The plan places heavy focus on:
Economic transformation and high-quality development
Technological self-reliance, including new productive forces
A more assertive national security posture
Deepened global engagement, including expanded market access
Green development and climate resilience
Beijing also said it received over 3 million public submissions while drafting the recommendations, calling the plan a nationally driven roadmap for China’s future and a stabilizing force for global growth.
What It Means for Liberia
In a briefing in Monrovia, Chinese officials said the plan “means opportunity” for Liberia and the wider Global South.
Liberia already benefits from China’s zero-tariff policy for all Least Developed Countries, which has led to a significant increase in Liberian rubber exports to China. The two countries recently signed a new Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement covering infrastructure and development support.
Beijing says it will continue inviting Liberian businesses to major trade expos, including the China–Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the Canton Fair, to boost Liberia’s export visibility and market penetration.
The Chinese government says it is ready to align its 15th Five-Year Plan with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, and reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the China–Liberia strategic partnership.
Women’s Empowerment Takes Global Stage
China also announced new commitments on global women’s advancement during the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women, held in Beijing from October 13–14.
President Xi pledged:
$10 million USD in new funding for UN Women
$100 million USD from China’s Global Development and South–South Cooperation Fund for women-focused projects
1,000 livelihood programs for women and girls
Training for 50,000 women from around the world
A new Global Center for Women’s Capacity Building
Liberia’s Senate President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence attended the forum, joining leaders from more than 110 countries.
China Intensifies Stand on Taiwan Amid Rising Tensions
As China marks the 80th anniversary of Taiwan’s return to Chinese sovereignty, Beijing used the briefing to reiterate its firm stance on the one-China principle, which Liberia was the first country in the world to endorse through domestic legislation.
Beijing condemned recent remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who suggested that “a contingency in Taiwan is a contingency for Japan.” China called the statement “the most dangerous provocation by a Japanese leader since 1945” and warned that any military interference would be “an act of aggression.”
China also reminded Tokyo of its obligations under four China–Japan political documents, insisting that Japan must “stop playing with fire” on Taiwan.
A New Global Governance Push
China positioned itself as a leader in shaping the future of global governance through its new Global Governance Initiative (GGI) launched in September during the SCO+ Summit.
The initiative is built on five pillars:
1.Sovereign equality
2.International rule of law
3.Multilateralism
4.People-centered development
5.Practical, results-oriented cooperation
The GGI complements China’s other major international proposals the Global Development, Global Security, and Global Civilization Initiatives which Beijing frames as pillars for building a “shared future for mankind.”
Beijing’s Message: China Is Rising-and Bringing Partners Along
China’s overarching message to developing countries is clear:
As Beijing advances toward becoming a fully modernized socialist power by 2035, it intends to expand its global influence, strengthen South–South cooperation, and create more avenues for economic and technological partnership.
For Liberia, China’s new five-year strategic map offers expanded trade access, investment opportunities, and deeper political cooperation positioning Monrovia to take advantage of Beijing’s next phase of global engagement.
