Save it! 6 major directions, 5 key points, the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" reporting guide is here

Introduction

During this year’s Two Sessions, the 14th National People’s Congress approved the “14th Five-Year Plan” outline.

The “14th Five-Year Plan” not only clarifies the country’s strategic intentions and highlights government priorities but also provides a coordinate and direction for media news reporting.

During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, what is the main theme of mainstream media coverage? Based on the content of the plan, what key topics can the media focus on? What issues should be paid attention to during reporting?

Recently, the Media Tea Talk convened experts to offer advice on how media can effectively cover the “14th Five-Year Plan” news.

High-Quality Development as the Main Theme

“High-quality development is the primary task in building a modern socialist country.” The outline of the “14th Five-Year Plan” explicitly states that promoting high-quality development will be the theme, and achieving significant results in high-quality development will be incorporated into the economic and social development goals during this period.

Additionally, the Media Tea Talk found that the phrase “high-quality development” runs throughout the “14th Five-Year Plan” outline and is a frequently used term, appearing a total of 37 times.

Chen Haigang, Editor-in-Chief of China Economic Times, believes that the plan places “achieving significant results in high-quality development” at the top of the seven major goals, involving several key areas, setting the overall tone for media coverage. When interpreting economic and social policies or analyzing industrial and local development paths, media should frame these within the context of high-quality development, explaining and projecting how certainty in high-quality development can address various uncertainties in the external environment.

“Focusing on high-quality development, the ‘hard truth’ of this new era, is the core mainline that economic reporting in the media must anchor.” Zhu Keli, a renowned economist and founding director of the National Research Institute of New Economy, told the Media Tea Talk. This mainline runs through sectors such as industrial upgrading, technological innovation, reform and opening-up, green development, and people’s livelihood security. Media should closely align with development realities, respond to current concerns, and demonstrate professional value.

Six Major Topics

Accelerating the construction of a new development pattern is a strategic foundation for promoting high-quality development. Centered on this mainline, media can develop topics around the following key areas:

1. Cultivating New Quality of Production Capacity

New quality of production capacity is the new engine for high-quality development. The “14th Five-Year Plan” states, “Leading development with new development concepts, developing new quality of production capacity according to local conditions,” and “deepening integration of technological and industrial innovation to continuously generate new quality of production capacity.”

Keli suggests that media should focus on cultivating new quality of production capacity as a core topic, conducting in-depth reports on the ten new industries and tracks outlined in the plan, especially in cutting-edge fields like artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, biomanufacturing, low-altitude economy, and green hydrogen energy.

Specifically, media should track breakthroughs in technological R&D, practical implementation paths in industries, and corporate innovation initiatives. Interpret the internal logic of moving new technologies from labs to industrialization, showcase the vitality and achievements in cultivating new quality of production capacity. Also, explore active practices of technological innovation and industrial integration, paying attention to investments in basic research and breakthroughs in core technologies, making reports vivid records of technological independence and witnessing industrial transformation—highlighting technology as the primary productive force.

2. Breakthroughs in Key Technologies

Significant progress in technological self-reliance and self-improvement is a key development goal during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period. The plan emphasizes rapid breakthroughs in key core technologies in major fields, producing a batch of major original, landmark, and leading scientific achievements, with increasing instances of leading the field.

Huang Wenfu, former Editor-in-Chief of China Industry and Commerce Times, states that the plan elevates technological self-reliance to an unprecedented level. Media topics should focus on how technology translates into real productive forces, such as the “Compute and Power” collaboration and the national integrated computing power network. Topics could explore how the “East Data, West Computing” project reshapes the economic landscape like the “South-to-North Water Diversion” project, and how computing power can become a universally accessible productive resource like hydropower.

Li Biao, Chief Editor of the Macro Channel of Daily Economic News, analyzes that as economic and social development progresses, the value of technology increases. Breakthroughs in key areas can lead to industry revolutions and even change overall economic trends. For example, the emergence of artificial intelligence may overturn development logic across many industries. Future topics worth attention include embodied intelligence, large models, low-altitude economy, aerospace, biomanufacturing, and brain-computer interfaces.

Keli recommends that media should explore vibrant practices of technological innovation and industrial integration, focus on investments in basic research and breakthroughs in core technologies, and make reports vivid records of technological independence and industrial transformation—highlighting technology as the core support of the primary productive force.

3. Empowering People’s Livelihoods under the “Investing in People” Orientation

The “14th Five-Year Plan” emphasizes the close integration of investment in physical assets and human capital. “Investing in people” refers to directing more fiscal funds and public resources toward education, employment, healthcare, and social security, investing in enhancing people’s abilities, health, career development, and potential, to drive high-quality economic growth through consumption potential release and human capital improvement.

Chen Haigang notes that among the 20 major indicators in the plan’s five aspects, social welfare indicators account for the highest proportion, with 7 items, over one-third of the main indicators. The plan also dedicates two chapters to actively addressing aging populations and building fertility-friendly societies. The shift from “investment in physical assets” to “investment in people” warrants ongoing deep attention.

Huang Wenfu suggests that the concept of “investing in people” being fully established is a new policy idea for the “14th Five-Year Plan” period and a rich source of topics that resonate with the public. Media can translate macro policies into stories close to people’s lives. For example, reporting on how increasing income for urban and rural residents through property income and improved salary systems can boost household finances; or exploring topics like “spring and autumn vacations for primary and secondary schools” and “paid staggered leave for workers,” analyzing how increased leisure time stimulates the service industry; or focusing on housing security for newly married and newly parent families, fertility subsidies, and local measures to reduce costs of childbirth, parenting, and education.

4. Industrial Upgrading Based on the Real Economy

The real economy is the foundation of a great nation and an essential support for future strategic advantages. The plan states that efforts should be made to focus on developing the real economy, accelerating the building of a manufacturing powerhouse, quality powerhouse, aerospace powerhouse, transportation powerhouse, and network powerhouse.

While traditional industries are often covered in media reports, Huang Wenfu suggests that media should highlight cases of “old trees sprouting new shoots”—how traditional manufacturing is upgrading through “intelligent transformation, digitalization, networking.” For example, reporting how an established factory builds a “smart supply chain” to shift from “stock shortages” to “demand prediction.”

5. Green and Low-Carbon Transformation

The “14th Five-Year Plan” emphasizes green development more prominently, especially the “low-carbon” requirement. The plan advocates prioritizing conservation, strengthening policy incentives, and guiding society to participate actively in green and low-carbon transformation; promoting simple, moderate, green, low-carbon, civilized, and healthy lifestyles and consumption patterns.

“Clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,” Zhu Keli states. “People’s livelihoods are the fundamental purpose of development.” The integration of green development and people’s livelihoods is also a key topic. Regarding the implementation of the “dual carbon” goals, media should focus on the development of green and low-carbon industries, the green transformation of traditional industries, and practices of ecological protection and economic development working together, showcasing new forms and paths of economic growth under green development.

Among the 20 key indicators of economic and social development during the period, 8 are binding indicators, including 5 related to green and low-carbon development. The plan also aims to reduce CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 17%, and for the first time, replaces “good air quality days” with “PM2.5 concentration” as a core indicator. It also proposes measures such as a tenfold increase in non-fossil energy, building a number of clean energy bases, and developing new energy storage. Chen Haigang believes that the “reduction” and “increase” aspects contain abundant reporting resources, making them key directions for media coverage.

6. Regional Coordinated Development and Reform & Opening-up

Regional coordinated development and the deepening of reform and opening-up are also important topics. Keli suggests that media should focus on major regional strategies such as the integration of the Yangtze River Delta, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, planning reports on regional industrial collaboration, factor flows, and urban-rural integration, showcasing how different regions leverage their comparative advantages, break down development barriers, and work together to promote regional coordination.

Chen Haigang also emphasizes the importance of paying attention to regional development and local practices, including the construction of a unified national market, promoting regional coordination, local strategies for developing new quality of production capacity, institutional innovations, and how major economic provinces take the lead and solve new problems through research and experience.

Regional coordinated development and reform and opening-up are mutually reinforcing and internally unified. Reform and opening-up provide institutional motivation and mechanisms for regional development, while regional development expands the space and depth of reform and opening-up, jointly serving high-quality development and Chinese-style modernization goals.

Keli states that media should focus on building a high-standard market system, reform of factor marketization, and high-level opening-up, exploring real practices such as optimizing business environments, cross-border trade innovation, and foreign-invested enterprise development. They should interpret new reform measures to inject fresh vitality into economic growth, fully demonstrate China’s firm commitment to expanding openness, and let readers see the openness and inclusiveness of China’s market, truly feeling the benefits brought by reform and opening-up.

Five Key Precautions

1. Upholding Accuracy

To ensure the accuracy, depth, and dissemination power of reports related to the “14th Five-Year Plan,” especially economic coverage, media must first adhere to the bottom line of accuracy, resolutely avoiding misinterpretation of policies and errors in content expression.

Li Biao emphasizes that media should base their reports on the original policy documents, rely on authoritative releases, and avoid arbitrary distortions or misinterpretations during analysis. Key information and important data should come from credible sources, traceable and verifiable, ensuring precise expression.

Keli advises that journalists need to carefully study the original plan, grasp the policy connotations, core principles, and implementation requirements word by word, accurately understand technical terms, development goals, and measures, and avoid taking things out of context or one-sided interpretations. For core content and key statements, involving policy research experts or industry veterans for review can help establish a multi-layered content review mechanism.

2. Avoiding Homogenized Reporting

Many media outlets are covering the “14th Five-Year Plan,” so avoiding homogenization is crucial. Combining media’s own positioning and creating differentiated topics will help stand out in the competition of similar themes.

Keli suggests that media should move beyond “policy excerpt + simple interpretation” shallow dissemination. They can focus on core issues and hot social concerns, conducting in-depth field investigations and industry chain tracking, digging into the development logic, historical background, and practical demands behind policies. Using diverse formats such as in-depth analysis, series reports, and thematic interpretations can deepen public understanding of the core principles and practical paths of the plan, making reports a window for interpreting development and inspiring thinking, continuously enhancing their ideological and guiding value.

Practically, central media can focus on national cases and macro policy explanations, while local media should leverage regional characteristics, focusing on local advantageous industries and people’s livelihood initiatives. Topics like “local traditional industry digital transformation” or “implementation of social welfare policies” can be planned. Financial media can emphasize industry and investment perspectives, while lifestyle media focus on changes in people’s lives.

3. Combining “Constructive” and “Problem-Oriented” Approaches

Objectively and rationally analyzing development is a fundamental principle of journalism.

Keli recommends that media should balance positive publicity with problem-oriented reporting, strengthening overall awareness and systemic thinking. They should deeply report positive practices, achievements, and typical experiences in implementing the plan across regions and sectors, fully showcasing opportunities and potential of the “14th Five-Year” period. At the same time, they should objectively address challenges and problems, avoiding avoidance or exaggeration, analyzing causes, tracking solutions, and playing a role in supervision and advice.

Huang Wenfu states that, according to propaganda requirements, economic reports should “stabilize expectations and strengthen confidence.” They should highlight achievements and opportunities, telling China’s economic story well. But confidence should not be blind optimism. When reporting on “technological breakthroughs,” they should also objectively reflect difficulties and challenges; when discussing “high-quality population development,” they should acknowledge structural issues like aging and declining birthrates and explore solutions, demonstrating the media’s constructive role.

4. Balancing “Macro” and “Micro” Perspectives

“Don’t just pile up grand words like ‘new quality of production capacity’ and ‘high-quality development.’ Follow the principle of ‘big theme, small entry point.’” Huang Wenfu advises that media should break down the grand goals of the “14th Five-Year Plan” into detailed “fine brushwork.” For example, when reporting on “expanding domestic demand,” avoid only citing data; instead, reflect the policy through a local market’s consumption vitality or a community shop’s business changes.

Li Biao believes that when covering macro policies, media should connect policies to industries, enterprises, and individuals, ensuring the policies are implemented at the ground level. When reporting individual cases, they should identify industry commonalities and trend signals.

5. Emphasizing Popularized Expression

Media should continuously strengthen the authority and accessibility of policy interpretation, transforming professional planning content into language that the public can understand and that the market can use, ensuring policy spirit reaches grassroots and becomes ingrained in people’s minds.

For example, terms like “sandbox regulation,” “patience capital,” and “compute and power collaboration” are highly technical. Media has the responsibility to interpret these in simple terms, using vivid metaphors or cases to help ordinary audiences understand how these concepts impact daily life and investment.

Chen Haigang reminds journalists to avoid dry data analysis and conceptual explanations. Under the premise of accuracy, reports should be lively and vivid, emphasizing user awareness, improving writing style, and transforming official language into language accessible to the public. A good writing style is a concrete reflection of the media’s correct view of achievements and governance.

(This article is reproduced from the Media Tea Talk)

Cover image source: Meiri Media Asset Library