Yoro Diallo: China's five-year plans serve as guidance, not intervention

The "Understand China" program, produced by People's Daily Online, aims to interpret China's planning, opportunities, and governance, to eliminate misunderstandings, and to enhance comprehension and recognition between Chinese and international audiences through in-depth dialogues between Chinese and foreign scholars.

This episode of "Understand China" features a conversation between Liu Hongwu, director of the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, and Yoro Diallo, a 2024 Chinese Government Friendship Award recipient, senior researcher at the Institute of African Studies at Zhejiang Normal University, and director of the Institute's African Museum. Together, they delve into the institutional advantages of "seeing the overarching roadmap through to the end" and explore the certainty and stability that China's five-year plans bring to the world.

During the conversation, Diallo refuted claims by some foreign media outlets that China's five-year plans constitute "excessive government intervention in the market." "I believe China's institutional guidance in political, economic, and social policies is an advantage," he said. This guidance points the way for the people, without blocking their movements, allowing them to freely pursue development opportunities. Liu further supported the claim of Diallo, adding that the five-year plans serve as guidance for the people, not intervention.

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Understand China | What inspiration do the five-year plans offer for the Global South?