This is more than a fancy slogan. Five years ago, many observers dismissed the catchy slogan, “Designed in China”, which captured the aspirations of the 15th Five-Year Plan. That dismissal was a mistake.
The Summer Davos, held in Dalian, passed almost without notice in much of the Western media. The meeting was significant for what it said about the development of the digital and technological economy in China.
The outline bones of these aspirations are found in the 15th Five-Year Plan but Premier Li Qiang put some flesh on the bones. He also demolished the idea that China’s competitiveness depended on subsidies. These changes are designed to harness what President Xi Jinping calls the “new quality productive forces”.
