As 2025 ends, China stands at a pivotal moment in its modernization journey – the 14th Five-Year Plan chapter closes and the 15th is set to start. From factories and research labs to local communities and cultural landmarks, President Xi Jinping's inspections and central meetings this year illustrate how China is steering domestic governance and planning its next phase of modernization.

People-centered modernization

"A happy life for every family and a good time for the elderly and children are what we call a beautiful world," Xi said during a January inspection in Liaoning Province, highlighting a core principle: modernization is ultimately about improving people's lives.

Braving the cold, Xi traveled for nearly an hour along a mountain road to visit flood-affected families in Zhuangjiagou Village. "I have been concerned about you and so came to see you before the Spring Festival," he told residents. "The people can always count on the Party and the government in their most difficult times, and we will help them overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes."

Throughout his inspection tours in 2025, Xi repeatedly highlighted people's livelihoods, from food security, rural revitalization and employment to housing, public services and ecological well-being. When disasters struck – a magnitude-6.8 earthquake in Dingri County, landslides in Junlian County, Sichuan, and mountain torrents in Yuzhong County, Gansu – he issued immediate instructions, coordinating all-out rescue efforts to save lives and minimize casualties.

Guiding the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, Xi also emphasized that listening to people's voices and pooling public wisdom are essential to building consensus for the modernization that improves everyday life.

High-quality development as the anchor

"It is imperative to deal with the uncertainty of drastic changes in the external environment with the certainty of the country's high-quality development." Xi delivered this message in April at a Politburo meeting, emphasizing the importance of consolidating the real economy, industrial upgrading and technological advancement.

In April, Xi inspected an AI incubator in Shanghai, just days after presiding over a political bureau's group study session on artificial intelligence, stressing the value of integrating AI innovation with industrial development.

Xi has long seen the real economy – the part that produces goods and services – as the cornerstone of China's national economy. In July, at Yangquan Valve Company in Shanxi Province, he reiterated that the real economy, especially traditional industries, must not be abandoned, but instead transformed and upgraded through technological innovation.

Strengthening cultural foundations

"Treasures of Chinese culture must be well protected and inherited, and the culture behind them must be well promoted." Xi made this call during a May inspection in Henan, reflecting that culture is a pillar of national strength.

During an October visit to the Palace Museum in Beijing, he said cultural relics "belong to the people and should serve the people," urging protection, restoration and innovative use to make heritage both an educational resource and a window for the world to understand China.

Revolutionary history is also central to this cultural foundation. Xi visited several revolutionary sites this year, emphasizing the importance of telling the stories of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and passing on its spirit.

At milestone celebrations marking the 60th founding anniversary of Xizang Autonomous Region and the 70th founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Xi led central delegations, reinforcing ethnic unity and advancing the building of a community for the Chinese nation.

On September 3, ahead of the Victory Day military parade at Tiananmen Square, President Xi declared: "The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable," affirming that the cause of peace and development for humanity will ultimately prevail.

Opening new horizons through reform and opening up

"We will undoubtedly break new ground in reform and development as long as we strengthen our conviction and confidence, confront problems and obstacles directly, and tackle risks and challenges without hesitation," Xi reiterated in 2025, framing reform and opening up as a key solution to breaking development bottlenecks, supporting private enterprises and advancing a unified national market.

Meeting global business representatives, Xi reiterated that China's door to opening up will continue to widen, with consistent policies for foreign investment.

At the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, the blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan took shape under Xi's leadership. As 2025 closes, China prepares to enter a new chapter, translating vision into action with clear priorities and a steady path toward modernization.