On November 16, 2025, H.E. Mr. Fan Yong, Chinese Ambassador to Botswana puts an article titled A New Chapter in Chinese Modernization, New Opportunities in China-Botswana Cooperation to local newspaper The Patriot on Sunday. The full text is as follows：

Recently, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its fourth plenary session in Beijing. This important meeting marks a crucial milestone as China embarks on a new journey toward achieving the Second Centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects. The session adopted the “Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development,” outlining top-level designs and strategic blueprints for China's development over the next five years. It sent a clear signal of expanding high-level opening-up and pioneering a new landscape of win-win cooperation.

The session gave a positive assessment of China's major development achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which has marked a momentous and extraordinary period in our country's development. These five years have seen new groundbreaking progress, breakthrough changes and historic achievements. This year, China's total economic output is expected to reach 140 trillion Chinese RMB, over 19 trillion USD. China's contribution to global economic growth has remained at around 30%, making it a major contributor to global economic growth. With China reaching new heights in economic strength, scientific and technological ability, and composite national strength, we have made solid new strides in advancing Chinese modernization and gotten off to a good start on our new journey toward the Second Centenary Goal.

It was pointed out that Chinese modernization can only be realized through a historical process of gradual and ongoing development. It requires the unremitting hard work of one generation after another. The period covered by the 15th Five-Year Plan will be critical in this process as we work to reinforce the foundations and push ahead on all fronts toward basically achieving Chinese modernization by 2035. It will thus serve as a key link between the past and the future.

The Central Committee also set the following major objectives for the 15th Five-Year Plan period: significant achievements in high-quality development; substantial improvements in scientific and technological self-reliance and strength; fresh breakthroughs in further deepening reform comprehensively; notable cultural and ethical progress across society; further improvements in quality of life; major new strides in advancing the Beautiful China Initiative; and further advances in strengthening the national security shield. Building on this, we will work hard for a further five years to see that by the year 2035 China's economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defense capabilities, composite national strength, and international influence will all be markedly stronger, that its per capita GDP will be on a par with that of a mid-level developed country, that its people will live better and happier lives, and that socialist modernization will be basically realized.

Recently, Botswana has also been formulating its 12th National Development Plan and Botswana Economic Transformation Plan, laying out blueprints for the nation's development over the next five years. There are many areas of alignment and collaboration between China's 15th Five-Year Plan and Botswana's NDP12, which can bring promising opportunities to Botswana's development. Here are three most prominent aspects.

First, China will vigorously promote high-quality development, which is in strong alignment with Botswana's economic reform. China will focus on building emerging pillar industries, accelerate the development of industrial clusters in strategic emerging fields such as new energy, new materials, aviation and aerospace, and the low-altitude economy, seize the historic opportunities presented by the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, and continue to inject new momentum into China's and the global economy as a whole. China's achievements in cutting-edge technologies and new productive forces will provide greater support for Botswana's development in digitalization, green energy, infrastructure construction, and economic diversification.

Second, China will vigorously promote high-standard opening- up, which is in strong alignment with Botswana’s economic diversification. China is committed to safeguarding the multilateral trading system and opening China wider to the outside world. We will share opportunities with the rest of the world and promote common development.Under frameworks such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, China stands ready to deepen collaboration with Botswana across trade, investment, healthcare, tourism, and culture, exploring new growth areas for bilateral partnership.

Third, China will vigorously promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, which is in strong alignment with Botswana’s support for global governance framework such as the United Nations and the African Union and its advocacy for the principles of democracy, stability, and equality.  We should promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, expand global network of partnerships, and foster a new type of international relations. We will deepen solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries. We should act on the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative and work to guide the development of the international order in a more just and equitable direction.China will support the Global South in building strength through unity, resolutely oppose all hegemonic, high-handed, and bullying acts, defend international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of people around the world. China is willing to join hands with Botswana to promote the common values of all humanity and advance the building of an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Botswana. 2026 will be the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan and also Botswana’s NDP12. At this new starting point, as both sides advance on the path toward modernization, China is willing to work with Botswana to strengthen strategic alignment on development planning, identify areas of cooperation, and explore new drivers of collaborative growth, so as to jointly elevate our bilateral relations to a new level and build a new chapter of mutual benefit, win-win cooperation, and common development.