Chinese and South African experts shared their views on development planning and the future of the Global South. China aims to continue cooperating with African countries, including the Republic of South Africa, in modernization efforts, strengthening mutual cooperation, and reforming global governance. This was stated by Chinese Consul General Pan Qingjiang at a seminar titled "Governance of China" in Johannesburg.
The meeting took place on August 7th at the Johannesburg Business School, part of the University of Johannesburg, and focused on the theme "Improving National Planning Systems in the Global South: Experiences from China's 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026–2030." It was attended by over a hundred representatives from South African politics, academia, and media.
Long-Term Planning Focused on People
Pan Qingjiang emphasized the importance of long-term strategic planning for China's development. According to him, formulating and implementing medium- and long-term plans are key elements of the Chinese development model.
"Progressive long-term planning provides a clear direction for each stage of development," he stated.
Since the first five-year plan launched in 1953, China has implemented fourteen such programs. According to Pan, these plans have helped the country build its own industrial base, improve living standards, and continue towards modernization.
Over more than seven decades, China has transformed from a country unable to independently produce even automobiles or aircraft into the world's largest manufacturing economy. This transformation highlights the importance of continuity and long-term planning, according to Pan.
China's strategy involves gradually achieving its modernization goals by 2035. The fourteenth five-year plan represented the initial stage, while the 15th five-year plan is intended to be a crucial period for consolidating foundations and expanding modernization efforts, with the subsequent 16th plan completing the decisive phase of this process.
China and the Republic of South Africa Have Different Experiences
South African Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration Pinky Kekana noted that China and the Republic of South Africa have undergone different historical developments, utilize distinct political systems, and are based on different constitutional traditions.
However, both countries share a belief that the state has a responsibility to improve the living conditions of its citizens through strategic planning, good governance, and long-term investments in people.
According to Kekana, China's experience offers inspiration, particularly in areas such as strategy coordination, infrastructure planning, industrial policy, and the long-term implementation of decisions. The Republic of South Africa, on the other hand, can offer expertise in constitutional governance, institutional accountability, and cooperation between different levels of public administration.
These approaches do not necessarily need to be seen as competitive. They can complement each other and contribute to a broader debate about development in the 21st century.
Furthermore, according to Kekana, cooperation between countries of the Global South should not be limited to trade and investment. It should also include innovation in the public sector, digital government, artificial intelligence, leadership training, and the exchange of professional skills.
The future development state will be digital, data-driven, and citizen-centric, according to Kekana. However, technology alone cannot replace responsible leadership, trustworthy institutions, and a professional public administration.
It's Not Just About Strategy, But Its Implementation
Bandile Masuku, a member of the Gauteng Provincial Parliament, recalled that China is beginning to implement its 15th five-year plan, while South Africa is approaching the final years of its National Development Plan 2030.
According to him, both documents represent ambitious long-term strategies aimed at improving living standards, strengthening the economy, and building a prosperous society.
He cited continuity as one of the main advantages of the Chinese approach. Each new five-year plan builds upon the previous stage. The current plan emphasizes, among other things, scientific and technological innovation, industrialization, infrastructure, national security, social development, and long-term economic growth.
The South African National Development Plan 2030 aims to reduce poverty and inequality and create jobs.
Zama Mthombeni from the University of Johannesburg also highlighted the importance of implementing plans. According to her, the planning philosophies of China and South Africa differ in that South Africa is still grappling with deep social and economic inequalities stemming from the apartheid era, while simultaneously having to respond to new economic challenges.
"It's not just about which plan is better, but primarily whether we can implement it," she emphasized.
According to her, the Chinese model demonstrates the importance of gradually achieving each stage of long-term development. She also recalled that China was once a poor country that industrialized over several decades and became one of the world's major economic powers.
Global South Cooperation
Professor Frank Lekaba from the Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs at the University of South Africa pointed out that the Chinese development model works not only with domestic needs but also with the broader international environment.
He identified support for multilateralism as a common element of the Chinese and South African approaches. According to him, the ability to act through multilateral cooperation allows countries to better respond to tensions and changes in the international system.
The seminar was co-organized by the China International Communications Group Centre for Europe and Africa and the Consulate General of China in Johannesburg. The discussion focused on the importance of Chinese five-year plans for the development of countries in the Global South, the sharing of experiences between China and African countries, and the role of political and institutional leadership in achieving long-term development goals.
Thediplomaticsociety/gnews.cz