Jeffrey Sachs, director of the center for sustainable development at Columbia University, contrasted China's long-term planning with what he described as a lack of strategy in the United States.

He pointed to the launch of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and the successful convening of the Two Sessions as signs of clear direction for the next decade. In contrast, he said the US is marked by political polarization, with no unified strategy, targets or consensus on key issues such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and income distribution.