UN in China and CIKD offer new insight on China’s economic policy-making process

Participants at the salon were provided with an insight into how China’s economic policies are formulated, the discussions and outputs seen from the 2021 Central Economic Work Conference, and their implications to the UN’s work in China, in relation to the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for China.

“In the past year, both China and the world have struggled with the pandemic, which continues to deteriorate the global economy and threaten the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But through its successful management of the pandemic, China led the world in economic recovery during 2021,” said Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee, UN Resident Coordinator in China.

“After four decades of rapid growth, China is now transitioning to high-quality development, aiming to address social and environmental challenges while pursuing growth. Through the conference, China has set the tone for its development in 2022, with many priorities highly relevant to the UN’s work in China. I think it’s important and helpful for the UN Country Team in China to have a robust perspective on the Conference.” said Mr. Chatterjee.

After remarks from the Resident Coordinator, participants both in-person at the UN Compound in Beijing and remotely joined the two sharing sessions, on “The Logic and Process of China’s Economic Policy Making” and the “Interpretation of the 2021 Annual Central Economic Working Conference”.

“Since reform and opening-up, China's economic decision-making has been continuously improved and innovated in practice, and the scientific, democratic, and institutionalized nature has been continuously enhanced. Especially since the 18th National Congress, the government has been actively playing the function of economic regulation, market supervision, social management, public services providing, environmental protection, etc., and attaching great importance to the effective combination of short-term policies and medium- and long-term development strategies.” said Dr. Wang Yiming, Vice Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchange.

“China's economy is resilient, although the short-term demand is facing triple pressures of contraction, supply shock, expectations weakening, and the long-term developments have not changed fundamentally. In 2022, China's economy will continue to make steady progress in recovery.” said Dr. Zhao Changwen, President of CIKD.

The Central Economic Work Conference is an annual high-level meeting that sets the national agenda for the economy of China.

Following these discussions, a Q&A session was moderated by Ms. Jiang Xiheng, Vice President of CIKD, joined by colleagues from the UN Country Teams in China, Mongolia, and Pakistan. The participants conducted in-depth exchanges on topics around post-epidemic economic recovery and sustainable development, economic and social green transformation under the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, high-quality development and common prosperity, rural revitalization, and industrial development.

The UN in China and CIKD look forward to furthering cooperation between the two sides, including collaboration on China’s Global Development Initiative to support the achievement of the SDGs.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Louise Xi LI, Head of Communications, UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China

Tel: +8610-85320725, Email: xi.li@un.org    

Dr. JIANG Yu, Deputy Director of Division of Information Management, CIKD

Tel: +8613810001906, Email: jiang.yu@cikd.org