What China's new ‘blueprint’ means for South Africa

Local value-addition and technology linkages must be emphasised

- KUBEN CHETTY

IN WHAT may be regarded as one of the most consequential planning sessions of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) recent era, the 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee (20th CPC CC) convened from October 20-23 in Beijing.

The session culminated in a detailed communiqué, and adoption of the “Proposals for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (FYP)” - positioning China for its next phase of economic and social development.

For South Africa and other African economies, the signals emerging from the meeting are significant — pointing at shifts in Chinese priorities around technology, industrial upgrading, security and global engagement that will shape trade, investment and strategic partnerships.

Technological self-reliance and “new quality productive forces”

The Plenum emphasised that China must accelerate “self-reliance and self-improvement in high-level science and technology” to lead the development of new quality productive forces. China's R&D spending, innovation output, and high-tech manufacturing are all singled out as foundational for its next growth chapter.

The communiqué highlights high-tech manufacturing growth and frontier areas (AI, biotech, new energy). As China pivots more heavily into advanced manufacturing and innovation ecosystems, African economies will face both opportunities (in supply chains, partnering) and challenges (competition, shifting demand) in areas like raw materials, tech services and industrial linkages.

Strengthening national (and what China describes as “holistic”) security

Apart from economic planning, the communiqué articulates broad security goals - ecological, technological, economic, social and defence. For example: modernising national defence and armed forces; building a new energy system; and ensuring robust national security capacity. China frames this as necessary for its “modernisation” path and the realisation of the CPC’s strategic objectives.