BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- With the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) nearing conclusion, China has clocked up a series of landmark achievements, including a resilient economy, solid steps in green transition and unwavering opening up.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), described the five years as a period of "pioneering progress, transformative breakthroughs, and historic achievements."

"China has become the most stable, reliable, and dynamic force in global development," he said.

RESILIENCE

According to Zheng, China's economic increment is projected to exceed 35 trillion yuan (4.89 trillion U.S. dollars) in the five-year period, contributing about 30 percent annually to global economic growth.

Over the first four years of the period, the economy expanded at an average annual growth rate of 5.5 percent, Zheng said, noting that despite the shocks of the pandemic and trade bullying, the growth of China, given its vast economic scale, is an unprecedented achievement.

The steady economic performance has also translated into tangible livelihood improvements. Urban job creation stood at more than 12 million each year, reflecting the populous country's stable labor market.

The growth has especially been driven by deepening economic transformation. Domestic demand accounted for 86.4 percent of the GDP increase on average, with final consumption contributing 56.2 percent -- an 8.6 percentage point increase over the previous planning period.

Innovation played a key role in driving development. The country's total R&D expenditure surged nearly 50 percent, or 1.2 trillion yuan, from 2020 to 2024, and its R&D intensity reached 2.68 percent, approaching the average of OECD economies.

China's national strength has been significantly enhanced during the five-year period, which will also offer opportunities for global development, Zheng said, adding that no matter how the international landscape evolves, the country will manage its own affairs well and push forward Chinese modernization.

GREEN TRANSITION

The five-year period also marked a leap forward in China's ecological transformation, with more efficient energy utilization and a better natural environment.

China has fulfilled its green promises and shouldered the responsibility of a major country. From 2021 to 2024, energy consumption per unit of GDP fell 11.6 percent, cutting carbon emissions by around 1.1 billion tonnes, nearly half the European Union's total emissions in 2024.

As a global leader in renewable energy, China's installed renewable energy capacity reached 2.09 billion kilowatts by May 2025, more than doubling that in 2020. One in three kilowatt-hour of electricity nationwide is now from green sources.

The adoption of green lifestyles has surged, with new energy vehicle ownership soaring to 31.4 million in 2024, up significantly from 4.92 million in 2020.

Looking ahead, Zhou Haibing, a deputy head of the NDRC, said the next five-year period from 2026 to 2030 will be critical for achieving China's 2030 target to peak carbon emissions.

"We will redouble efforts and implement more pragmatic measures to promote the green transition in economic and social development and accelerate the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature," he said.

WIDER OPENING UP

According to the press conference, foreign direct investment into China totaled 4.7 trillion yuan from 2021 through May 2025. Foreign-invested enterprises now account for one-third of China's imports and exports, one-quarter of its industrial output, and one-seventh of its tax revenue, while creating more than 30 million jobs.

Zhou hailed the success of foreign firms as a vivid testament to China's improving business environment, which is becoming more market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.

China has twice reduced its negative list for foreign investment since 2021. All restrictions on foreign access to the manufacturing sector have been lifted, and further liberalization has occurred in agriculture and services. Pilot initiatives in healthcare and value-added telecommunications have opened new opportunities for foreign businesses.

Solid efforts have been made to ensure foreign firms receive national treatment and enjoy strong intellectual property protection.

"China's policies on attracting and utilizing foreign investment are consistent," Zhou said, noting that China will continue to ease market access and expand openness in an orderly way, ensuring foreign companies have equal access to policy benefits, from public procurement to standard-setting.

China remains and will continue to be an ideal, safe and promising destination for global investors, he said. ■