By Pang Chunxue
Chinese Ambassador to Albania
The year 2026 marks the commencement of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development. Since the beginning of the year,the international situation has been volatile and turbulent. Geopolitical conflicts keep cropping up and world economy suffers from sluggish growth. Against this backdrop, China’s economy has withstood the challenges and changes, demonstrating strong resilience and a promising outlook.
The first keyword is stability. China’s economy grew by 5% in the first quarter and has maintained a sound momentum in the second quarter. China’s economy continues to register steady and healthy growth despite the shocks of global energy shortages and severe supply-chain disruptions. Such solid and robust stability is all the more precious.
The second keyword is innovation. China has become a hub of rapidly emerging new technologies, new products, and new business models. New Energy Vehicles have been advancing at an accelerated pace, and the artificial intelligence sector has seen explosive growth. China’s economy has taken on a new look and gained renewed energy.
The third keyword is dynamism. China’s supersized market continues to unleash demand potential, especially in services, green and new types of consumption, embodying the rich diversity and high growth potential of China’s domestic demand.
The fourth keyword is integration. China remains as committed as ever to opening up further. We have extended zero-tariff policies to 63 countries, stayed as the world’s second-largest import market for 17 years running. China does not seek to move faster by going alone. Rather, we want win-win cooperation with all in the world so that we can go far together.
These four keywords-stability, innovation, dynamism, and integration-together present a comprehensive outlook of China’s economy, sketching out both the current picture and future trajectory. In the past, China’s big market and low-cost production factors provided “market dividends” for the world. Today, while continuing to provide even greater “market dividends,” China is also offering more and more “innovation dividends” with its technological progress and industrial upgrading. This is not “China Shock 2.0” but rather “China opportunity 2.0”, which means more accessible advanced technologies and widely shared outcomes. This enables more countries, particularly developing countries, to access affordable new technologies and new products, which has enhanced their development capacity and can help address many difficulties holding back global development.
Many in the international community have asked: What is the underlying logic behind the long-term sound growth and steady progress of the Chinese economy? How has China made it? A Kenyan scholar offered this answer: Only by understanding the Communist Party of China can one truly understand China’s development, values and vision for the future.
The Party possesses 6 outstanding qualities: (1) it remains steadfast in pursuing truth and always steers the right course; (2) it is deeply rooted in the people and always rests on a solid foundation; (3) it bravely shoulders its historic mission and always holds the strategic initiative; (4) it keeps pace with the trend of development and always stands at the forefront of the times; (5) it dares to struggle and excels in it, and always maintains full confidence in victory; (6) it focuses on self-strengthening and always brims with vigor and vitality.
In recent years, significant progress has been made in China-Albania relations. In 2025, bilateral trade exceeded 1.577 billion US dollars, up by 20.16 percent year on year. China remained Albania’s second largest trading partner. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Albania reached 27,800 last year, hitting a record high. Last May, Li Hongzhong, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, led a delegation to Albania, taking our bilateral exchanges to a new level.
The Chinese Embassy stand ready to work with Albanian side to make the most of the “China Opportunity 2.0”, tap the potential for cooperation in various areas, and strive for more fruitful outcomes in China-Albania relations so as to bring more tangible fruits to the two peoples.
© 2026 Argumentum
