A CHINESE development planning expert has identified three concrete opportunities for the Philippines and other countries under China’s newly approved 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), emphasizing joint industrial development, a greener Belt and Road Initiative, and greater access to China’s domestic market. Dr. Li Zhi, assistant dean of the China Institute for Development Planning at Tsinghua University, presented the opportunities in a video message during a forum organized by the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippine Strategic Studies Institute (ACPSSI). Li described China’s Five-Year Plan as a “dynamic grand strategic design” built through an “Open Door Planning” process that incorporates millions of public suggestions. For the 15th plan, he said, over three million online suggestions were received, with more than 1,500 ideas integrated into national policy. The plan aims to transition China’s economy from “big” to “strong” through technological innovation and what Li called “new quality productive forces,” including artificial intelligence, self-driving vehicles, the low-altitude economy, and green technology. Li stressed that China’s development is not meant to be a solo effort, outlining three areas where the Philippines could benefit. Upgrading together “Building a modern industrial system doesn’t mean building all industries for ourselves and by ourselves,” Li said. “We want to upgrade together with regional partners.” He suggested concrete partnerships, asking: “If we are buying today BYD electric vehicles, why shouldn’t we be building BYD electric vehicles with China in the Philippines? If we are setting up solar farms in the Philippines, why aren’t we building solar panels with Chinese companies in the Philippines, joint venture?” Li noted that China’s automation equipment and industrial robots could help countries like Vietnam and Thailand “smarten up their factories,” and that similar cooperation could extend to the Philippines. High-quality Belt and Road Li said the next phase of the Belt and Road Initiative would shift from building roads and bridges to exporting China’s green development experience. “In Africa, in Southeast Asia, we are not just building roads and bridges anymore. We are bringing China’s green development experience,” he said, citing examples of solar plants in deserts and wind projects in Kenya that provide cheaper and more stable green electricity. He suggested that China’s experience in building solar facilities could be applied in other countries, turning desert areas into sources of clean energy. Expanding market access The third opportunity, Li said, lies in China’s growing domestic market. Over the next five years, China will implement zero-tariff treatment for more developing countries, allowing agricultural products to enter at lower cost. “Chinese consumers are willing to pay for high-quality agricultural products,” Li said. “In the next five years, we will see more and more agricultural products from Asia and Africa crossing oceans to appear on Chinese family dinner tables. For farmers and exporters in Asia and Africa, that will be real cash.”