On 25 November 2025, Lesotho Television aired a special interview program titled “Ambassador on the Governance of China: The Art of Planning”, featuring Chinese Ambassador to Lesotho Yang Xiaokun and the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Mosena.

Drawing on the familiar concept of “mountain climbing” in Lesotho, Ambassador Yang elaborated on the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan. He also shared views on the insights that China’s medium- and long-term planning provides for Lesotho, as well as the new opportunities that China’s further opening-up during the 15th Five-Year Plan period will bring to the country.

The full interview transcript is as follows:

Anchor: Your Excellency, could you please briefly introduce the Five-Year Plans and their important role in China's modernization process?

H.E. Ambassador Yang: To better understand China’s Five-Year Plans, I would like to invite you to imagine climbing a mountain—something that speaks to all of us here in the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho. China’s Five-Year Plans work in the similar way as climbing a mountain.

First, we set clear targets. For China, we set two clear targets at the moment. The further one, by the year 2049, to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. The reason why it is the year 2049 is that it marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. We call this the Second Centenary Goal. The nearer one, to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035, which is only 10 years away from next year.

Second, we design a route composed of steps, The Five-Year plans are the steps. They serve as the detailed road-maps that guide each stage of this journey and keep us moving upwards. Here, I would like to brief you the steps we have already climbed. From the 1st Five-Year Plan to the 5th Five-Year Plan, we built an independent and relatively complete industrial and economic system. From the 6th Five-Year Plan to the 13th Five-Year Plan, we accomplished the historic transition to a socialist market economy, built a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and achieved the First Centenary Goal. Now, we are marching towards to the Second Centenary Goal, and we will have 2035 as our nearer target year. The 15th Five-Year Plan holds special significance as a crucial link in realizing our nearer target.

Third, we ensure continuity. We can not jump from the foot of the mountain straight to the top—we move from one step up to the next. China’s development is the same. Each generation and each leadership team carries the work forward. If you stop halfway, you risk losing the progress already made. That’s why every Five-Year Plan follows naturally from the one before it, keeping the overall progress steady.

I would like to take the 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans as examples. The 14th Five-Year Plan period helped us secure major progress in areas such as poverty alleviation, innovation, and green development. Our GDP surpassed the milestone of 130 trillion yuan (313 trillion Maloti), contributing approximately 30% on average annually to world economic growth. These achievements form a solid base camp. As we prepare the 15th Five-Year Plan, we will build on this foundation—focusing on high-quality development, greater technological self-reliance, and a greener economy, so as to push forward towards the highest destination.

In short, the Five-Year Plans give China road-maps upwards, solid steps, and stable continuity. As Chinese President H.E. Xi Jinping emphasized, the scientific formulation and successive implementation of Five-Year Plans is a key governance practice of the CPC and a major political strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Anchor: How is the Five-Year Plan formulated?

H.E. Ambassador Yang: The formulation of China’s Five-Year Plans is an organic combination of top-level design and broad public consultation.

Top-level design is a “top-down” process that provides overall guidance. It begins with comprehensive and in-depth research, followed by extensive expert consultations and several rounds of reviews to build consensus. It aligns national strategic goals with the practical needs of the people, ensuring that the plans truly serve as effective guidance.

At the same time, “consulting the people” reflects a process of broad, inclusive participation. It draws on the wisdom of the public and focuses on addressing the pressing issues that matter most to the people. During the drafting of the proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan, President Xi Jinping personally convened four consultation meetings to hear views from all sectors of society. Opinions were collected online nationwide, generating over 3.113 million submissions from the public, from which more than 1,500 suggestions were concluded.

This approach—“from the people and for the people”—brings together the collective wisdom of the nation and ensures that the planning process reflects genuine democratic needs and public aspirations. It allows the people to truly play their role as masters of the country and stands as a vivid example of whole-process people’s democracy in practice.

Anchor: How does China ensure the effective implementation of the Five-Year Plans?

H.E. Ambassador Yang: The Communist Party of China exercises overall leadership and coordinates the efforts of all sides in the implementation of Five-Year Plans. The Party's leadership serves as the fundamental guarantee that mobilizes all resources and leverages the strength of the socialist system to concentrate efforts on major national initiatives. This provides the fundamental guarantee for the efficient implementation of the Five-Year Plans, ensuring that the entire nation advances with unity of thought, will, and action.

This coordination is reflected in two key dimensions:

Horizontally, under the Party’s leadership, government departments clarify their roles and divide up the tasks in the plan. Each department sets clear targets based on its own responsibilities, and identifies who is accountable for meeting the binding indicators. It’s like completing different pieces of a jigsaw puzzle—once each piece is done well, the full picture of the Five-Year Plan comes together.

Given China’s vast territory and significant differences across regions, effective implementation also relies on the principle of “coordinating the national chessboard.” When some regions or departments face difficulties, support can be mobilized quickly from areas with more resources or experience. In short, strengths in one part of the system can be used to meet broader national needs.

Vertically, long-term goals are broken down into annual, quarterly, and even monthly targets, making them easier to manage and track. At the same time, a dynamic adjustment mechanism is in place, following the principle of “keeping the major direction unchanged while allowing flexibility in minor goals”. This allows the Plan to adapt to changing circumstances while staying firmly on course.

Lastly, to bring the visions of Five-Year Plans into reality, we count on the dedication and hard work of the Chinese people. Even the best plan only works when it’s put into action. Under the strong leadership of the CPC, people across all regions and ethnic groups pull together, rely on their own efforts, and work tirelessly day after day. It is this collective commitment that turns the goals of the Plan into real and tangible progress.  

Anchor: Your Honorable, how do you assess China's practice of Five-Year Plans? What useful experiences can Lesotho draw from it?

Hon. Deputy Speaker Mosena: First of all, I must commend the remarkable progress China has made. Not only Lesotho, but many different countries around the world can draw important lessons from China’s experience—especially from its Five-Year Planning system.

Lesotho is not unfamiliar with planning. We have the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP); we completed the first one and are now implementing the second. But what we can learn from China is that a plan is not just a document to display—it's a document to abide by, a tool to guide national development and help us achieve our goals.

China is already working toward its 15th Five-Year Plan. Meanwhile, we in Lesotho have struggled to achieve the goals set out in our own five-year national plans. Our challenge is not only planning, but also measuring progress, implementing effectively, and maintaining a strong commitment to the plan’s targets.

Having been to China, what truly stood out for me was the commitment—strong, consistent commitment—in leadership from the top and absorption all the way down to the grassroots. This unity of purpose is something Lesotho can learn from.

I also noticed how frequently China holds meetings. At first, I thought: “These people meet a lot!” But then I realized why. In every meeting, people are focused and dedicated. When they leave the room, each person knows clearly: “I have a mandate, and I am going to achieve it.”

The example you gave about climbing a mountain is very fitting. Every Mosotho knows what it means to climb a mountain: you cannot reach the top unless you support one another. But in Lesotho, we often act like isolated individuals rather than a supportive network working toward common national goals.

From China’s experience, we can learn several key points: Targets must be clear, and they must be cascaded down to everyone. Targets must be owned, not only by leadership but by all stakeholders. Commitment and collaboration are essential. Vision matters—thinking beyond the short term, ensuring continuity between one plan and the next. Plans must be grounded in research and development, something China does extremely well.

What I loved most in China was the respect for leadership. Yes, we love our King, but our political culture is very different from China’s. In China, the CPC’s ideology guides governance, and governance in turn reflects that ideology. In Lesotho, we tend to separate the two, and we also tend to distance ourselves from politics—as if politics belongs only to certain people. That, in my view, is where we miss the point.

In summary, China’s experience shows us what is possible. China is a vast nation, as large as Africa in its scale and diversity, yet it delivers results. We have only 2 million people. If China can do it, we can do it—and we could even do it faster, provided we keep learning and aligning ourselves with these valuable lessons.

Anchor: Your Excellency, what opportunities will the implementation of the 15th Five-Year Plan bring to the world, especially to developing countries including Lesotho?

H.E. Ambassador Yang: The 15th Five-Year Plan represents a crucial link in the chain of China's national development, linking the progress we have made with the goals we aim to achieve. But its significance reaches well beyond China’s borders.

First, it offers a model of governance and a source of stability. The success of this model provides a viable alternative to the Western development path. It breaks the long-held myth that modernization means Westernization, thereby injecting much-needed certainty and stability into a world marked by turbulence. The Plan shows how long-term strategic planning—an essential feature of Chinese modernization—can serve as a powerful driver of national progress, offering developing countries a concrete pathway to explore development models suited to their own national conditions and to achieve modernization.

Second, it brings concrete economic opportunities. At a time when global recovery remains sluggish, China is well positioned to sustain steady growth under the guidance of the Plan, injecting strong “Chinese momentum” into the world economy. As a key member of the Global South, China is ready to share these opportunities. For a friend like Lesotho, this means aligning new opening-up measures during the 15th Five-Year Plan period with Lesotho’s national development priorities. This opens space for practical cooperation in priority areas such as infrastructure, agriculture, and green energy, delivering real benefits to the Basotho people.

Finally, it creates opportunities for a shared future. In the next five years, China will remain committed to advancing the four global initiatives, promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and building a community with a shared future for humanity. By implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan and outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and through concrete joint efforts, we plan to launch more “small and beautiful” livelihood projects and make full use of the upcoming China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. China will continue to be a reliable partner in Africa’s journey toward modernization and prosperity.

Anchor: Facing the opportunities presented by China's development, how should Lesotho proactively align and cooperate to promote its own economic and social development?

Hon. Deputy Speaker Mosena: What stands out about China is its identity as a Global South country—just like us. The Global South is often labeled as “poor” or “undeveloped,” and China was once poor, too. But it has risen, and this means China understands our context deeply.

This gives us a valuable partner—an ally who knows where we come from.

We must leverage China’s experience, knowledge, and whatever tools or strategies enabled its own rise. As Global South countries, we can lift each other up.

Lesotho’s partnership with China has always been strong, anchored in our firm and unwavering support for the one-China Policy. Strengthening our cooperation with China will not only open doors in China itself, but also in countries where China has significant influence.

For example, Lesotho has been affected economically by the issue of tariffs imposed by other nations. Many do not realize that China offers tariff opportunities for Global South countries—opportunities we must actively pursue. Without awareness or alignment, our economy may continue missing out.

China is also a global leader in research, innovation, development, and artificial intelligence (AI). Lesotho is nowhere near the frontier of AI, but we do not need to take a slow path. China can help us leapfrog. AI will be essential for our rapid development in the years ahead. China already supports us in areas like health, infrastructure, and green economy. But we must continue strengthening these ties.

As someone committed to economic growth, I would be extremely happy to see Lesotho take advantage of opportunities to engage directly with China. South Africa is our only neighbor, and we depend heavily on South African imports—which is understandable. But many of those products originate from China. If Lesotho can open channels to buy directly from China, we could benefit from better pricing and more diversified supply chains.

Therefore, my message is simple:

Lesotho must open up, engage more deeply, and fully utilize the opportunities China offers.

And I believe this is entirely possible.

Thank you.