A SINGAPORE-BASED academic has cited China’s policy continuity as a critical factor for its successful long-term development planning, contrasting it with the Philippines’ characteristically disruptive system.
Henry Chan, a distinguished visiting fellow at the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies, made the observation during a forum on China’s recently concluded “Two Sessions” and its 15th Five-Year Plan, organized by the based think tank Asian Century Philippine Strategic Studies Institute.
Speaking via Zoom, Chan was responding to a question on the key methodologies and philosophies behind China’s successful five-year planning process.
”Policy continuity is very important,” Chan said. “In fact, even China’s five-year plans are continuously refined by people tasked with fine-tuning them.”
He noted that despite the detailed planning, China maintains flexibility in implementation.
”What you learn today about the 15th Five-Year Plan may be implemented differently next year. The objectives remain the same, but the approach and the measures can change over time.”
The academic contrasted this approach with the Philippine political system, where the six-year presidential term and its accompanying transition period result in sweeping changes.
”Unfortunately, if you look at the presidential system — particularly in the Philippines — every six years you can expect sweeping changes, including among many of those so-called working-level officials,” Chan said.
He stressed the importance of officials at the assistant secretary level, describing them as the “workhorse” and the ones carrying “institutional memory.”
”They’re supposed to be the ones carrying the so-called institutional memory. Now they’re all being replaced,” Chan said, emphasizing the disruption this causes to policy implementation.
Chan identified “continuity and pragmatism” as the “two key secrets behind the Chinese success in their five-year plan.”
”Number one, Chinese are pragmatics. They do fine-tuning all the time,” he said as he elaborated on the pragmatic aspect of China’s success.
The academic noted that beyond the issue of political leadership transitions, there are fundamental societal factors that contribute to development success.
”There are many things that go beyond politics — such as how much your people aspire for education, how many late nights they are willing to endure, and how many examinations they are prepared to sacrifice for their future.”
