The much-heralded State plan is expected to steer the country onto a steady course of modernization in the new and globalized century.

The forward-looking strategical development plan covers various key issues ranging from revamping agriculture to developing human resources.

In view of its far-reaching significance, it is no surprise that the Outline of the 10th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development (2001-05) has drawn unprecedentedly wide-ranging comments and suggestions from tens of thousands of citizens since it was first released last October.

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top advisory body, also made known their firm support for the development plan at its closing meeting on Monday.

To understand the Chinese enthusiasm for the new plan requires a review of the nation's history, and in particular, of the great benefits for the people in the country's two-decade reform and opening-up process, which has amazed the world.

Hard-won achievements include, above all, accomplishment of the goal of quadrupling the 1980 per capita GNP by 2000, the mid-term target of the country's announced three-phase development strategy.

Even the most critical Western observers have to give credit to such an economic miracle, considering China's huge population and the very low starting point that the reforms took off from two decades ago.

Although people might argue about the driving forces behind China's rapid economic growth, the strong desire to "catch-up" and the high expectations of the Chinese are widely regarded as extraordinary incentives.

This has been particularly true over the last five years, when the country carried through its Ninth Five-Year Plan.

The people were extremely proud when they saw the return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland as well as when they celebrated the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic.

The government, taking on the role of a strong regional and world stabilizing force, was confident as it led the country through the 1997 Southeast Asian financial crisis.

Now, at the beginning of the new century, the entire nation is set to push forward the pace of reform and opening up.

The new five-year plan lays clear emphasis on development featuring a fairly speedy growth with high quality and efficiency.

This sends a signal to all that sustainable development will be the focus and that market rules are to take center stage among the country's economic activities.

In fact, economic development is not just about capital accumulation and technical advance but also about putting in place sophisticated institutions and behavioral norms in a civil society.

By setting the target for the average annual growth rate for the next five years at around 7 per cent, slightly lower than the 8.3 per cent actual growth rate in the Ninth Five-Year Plan period (1996-2000), we will have enough space to push ahead with the country's economic restructuring.

In the broader context, the sweeping technological revolution in the world and the increasing momentum of economic globalization have created opportunities for China's drive to realize the third-phase modernization objectives.

But, serious challenges also lie ahead. The Chinese economy has to adapt to a fast changing global economic landscape and be well prepared for accession to the World Trade Organization.

To realize its goal of doubling the country's 2000 gross domestic product by 2010, the country must build its economy using a Chinese approach, while at the same time keeping a global perspective.

Only in this way can our long-cherished dream of national prosperity and dignity be realized.

(China Daily 03/15/2001)