China’s 14th Five-Year Plan: Impact and Opportunities
Understanding China’s Latest FYP
China’s Five-Year Plan is a national strategy set by the country’s top leaders. It sets out policies for social development and economic growth, identifies promising areas for investment, and indicates where governmental resources will be concentrated. More than most countries, China makes these priorities very clear, via public policies like its Five-Year Plan. Indicating major realignments in China’s management of its economy, the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) provides a clear-cut view of where China is going and a roadmap to where Canadian companies can leverage it.
Throughout the year, CCBC will explore, analyze and unpack the details of the 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP) with CCBC members through a comprehensive, multifaceted series, which includes: research reports; podcasts; a virtual event on May 19 with Ambassador CONG Peiwu on the 14th FYP; and a virtual 14th FYP deep dive on September 28.
Research Reports
CCBC has partnered with Trivium China to produce Confidence and Complexity: Initial Findings of the 14th Five-Year Plan for Canadian Companies in China, an in-depth report on the Plan, with a focus on five sectors critical to Canada’s trade and investment relationship with China – financial services, agribusiness, natural resources, energy, and cleantech. Furthermore, we have included a deep-dive on the rapidly evolving data policy sphere in China – an emerging dynamic relevant to all business leaders engaged in this market. Here, we are pleased to present the Summary Report and the Full Report.
Podcasts
In Part 1 of a three-part miniseries on China’s recently released 14th Five-Year Plan, CCBC Managing Director China Noah Fraser sits down with Alfredo Montufar-Helu (pictured below), Director, Beijing of the Economist Corporate Network. In a macroeconomic clinic on the China market, Alfredo talks about the fundamentals of the 13th Five-Year Plan, goals set out for the 14th Five-Year Plan, new policy terms like dual-circulation and demand-side reform and much more.
In Part 2 of a three-part miniseries on China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (FYP), CCBC Managing Director China Noah Fraser interviews Trey McArver, the co-founder and partner on politics at Trivium China, one of China’s most sought-after boutique political and economic policy analysis shops. Trey dives into five key sectors of interest to the Canadian business community – identifying the challenges and opportunities in the latest FYP for businesses in financial services, agribusiness, natural resources, energy and cleantech.
To wrap up our three-part miniseries on the 14th Five-Year Plan, CCBC Managing Director China Noah Fraser interviews his counterparts at the US-China Business Council (USCBC) and China Britain Business Council (CBBC) — Matt Margulies, Senior Vice President, China, USCBC, and Tom Simpson, Managing Director and Chief Representative, CBBC — on the eve of the conclusion of the Two Sessions or “lianghui.” The conversation dives into the parallels and divergences between our three bilateral relationships, and move into practical takeaways from the five-year plan and the Two Sessions, including the real meaning behind those GDP growth targets, foreign investment negative lists, financial market liberalization and much more.
This three-part podcast miniseries is sponsored by 
May 19, 2021: Ambassador CONG on the FYP
CCBC surveys show that Canadian businesses selling to or operating in China are more likely to succeed in sectors that align with China’s development priorities. More than most countries, China makes these priorities very clear, via public policies like its Five-Year Plan. On May 19, CCBC members and guests heard from H.E. CONG Peiwu, Ambassador of the PRC to Canada, about the opportunities for Canadian business over the next five years. His presentation also covered China’s investment and technology priorities, and trading opportunities. Mr. Graham Shantz, President of CCBC, hosted the event, followed by a Q&A moderated by Ms. Sarah Kutulakos, Executive Director and COO of CCBC.
Please contact your local CCBC Chapter Director to request access to the on-demand recording: Atlantic: Laura Markle; Quebec: Philippe Jeanneau; Ontario: Jeff Zhang; Prairies: Philippe Jeanneau; BC: Philippe Jeanneau; Beijing: Noah Fraser; and Shanghai: Edward Dai.
Event Sponsors
H.E. CONG Peiwu
Ambassador of the PRC to Canada
About Ambassador CONG
Mr. CONG was born in May 1967. He graduated from China Foreign Affairs University. Mr. CONG is married and has one daughter. His professional career is as follows:
- 1992-1993: Staff member, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China
- 1993-2000: Staff member, Attaché, Third Secretary, Deputy Division Director, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, MFA
- 2000-2003: Second Secretary, First Secretary, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Canada
- 2003-2007: First Secretary, Deputy Division Director, Division Director, Counsellor and Division Director, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, MFA
- 2007-2009: Counsellor, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, MFA
- 2009-2014: Minister-Counsellor, Minister, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 2014-2019: Director-General, Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, MFA
- 2019-present: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Canada
September 28, 2021: Virtual FYP Deep Dive
The release of the central 14th FYP in March is just the first step in goal-setting, and most relevant for our members are the FYP goals that trickle down to your sectors and to the cities and provinces in which you operate in China. Beyond the initial FYP, details about geographic and sectoral goals can help Canadian companies shape their strategies. In our September virtual FYP conference, we leveraged recently available data to give Canadian companies a deeper dive into the opportunities and how to incorporate them into your China strategy, and show how companies can practically use the 14th FYP goals to strengthen their value proposition.
The day began at 11 am EDT with a Main Seminar presentation from Trivium China, followed by interactive, case study-led Breakout Sessions that explored four key sectors: agrifood, natural resources, financial services and energy. Cleantech was incorporated into all Breakouts.
Led by CCBC Chapter Directors and Trivium China experts with guest speakers from RBC, Alibaba Group, Tmall Global, Unilia Fuel Cells Inc. and Vale, these Breakout Sessions were critical for attendees looking to gain a deeper understanding of market opportunities and featured case studies of how companies have used prior FYPs.
Please contact your local CCBC Chapter Director to request access to the on-demand recordings: Atlantic: Laura Markle; Quebec: Philippe Jeanneau; Ontario: Jeff Zhang; Prairies: Philippe Jeanneau; BC: Philippe Jeanneau; Beijing: Noah Fraser; and Shanghai: Edward Dai.
*CCBC thanks CanExport Associations for partial funding support for this 14th Five-Year Plan program series.