The 15th Five-Year Plan outlines 20 major economic and social development indicators, with the largest number focusing on people's livelihoods and well-being. After residing in China for 14 years, British national Jason recently obtained a "Chinese Green Card." As a full-time video blogger, he promptly announced the news on his personal account, stating, "China hasn't just let me stay; it has truly embraced me." The Permanent Resident ID Card for Foreigners of the People's Republic of China, commonly known as the "Chinese Green Card," is one of the most valuable residency permits globally. Holding it grants access to national treatment within the world's largest social security system, the largest education system, and the largest job market. Jason's sentiment stems from his years of immersive experience witnessing the sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security among ordinary Chinese people. He has observed profound transformations in China's livelihood sector over decades—shifting from addressing basic needs to improving quality, from ensuring essential coverage to optimizing structures, and from filling gaps to enhancing resilience. This transformation advances quietly within the daily lives of ordinary people, without grand slogans. From the 14th to the 15th Five-Year Plan, seven out of the 20 major indicators consistently focus on livelihood and well-being, highlighting a clear direction in China's development logic: the ultimate goal of economic growth is the comprehensive development of individuals, and the true measure of development lies in the warmth of people's lives. The core objective embedded in the five-year plans is to enable all citizens to "increase income, gain security, and achieve development." Livelihood improvements are not merely a "cost item" but a "driver" of development. Rising incomes lead to consumption upgrades, which in turn drive industrial transformation. Social security alleviates worries, thereby unleashing domestic demand potential. Investing in people enhances human capital, which supports innovation breakthroughs. These three elements mutually reinforce each other, forming a virtuous cycle of "development and livelihood" within China's modernization process.

From property income to wage income, institutional mechanisms are boosting household earnings. In January, Herhe, a herder from Damao Banner, Inner Mongolia, and the first recipient of a "grassland ticket," received a dividend payment of 50,000 yuan. Damao Banner boasts over 20 million acres of grassland, but traditional individual herding operations have limited productivity and weak risk resistance. A year ago, a pilot program for "grassland tickets" was launched, allowing herders to retain grassland contract rights while transferring management rights to a state-owned enterprise. This reform has diversified herders' income streams from solely operational earnings to a triple structure of "asset rental income, employment wages, and profit dividends." The reform continues to deepen, now exploring sources like carbon sink trading for desert grasslands and "grassland ticket loans." The grassland remains the same, and the herders are unchanged, but through institutional arrangements, the value of existing assets is stabilized, new revenue sources are broadened, long-term returns are enhanced, and opportunities for property income are expanded. This year's government work report首次 proposed implementing a plan to increase urban and rural residents' incomes. This is not merely a livelihood measure but a foundational, strategic choice that will guide the optimization of macro-distribution patterns and reshape the dynamics of economic growth. Wage income constitutes the largest share of disposable income for residents. In the hearts of Chinese people, accumulating wealth through one's own labor is both honorable and reliable. Therefore, increasing urban and rural incomes hinges on achieving fuller and higher-quality employment. Previously, high incomes were associated with financial institutions and foreign enterprises. Now, sectors like advanced manufacturing, modern services, the digital economy, green economy, and silver economy—which align with industrial upgrading and have strong job creation capacity—are becoming preferred workplaces. More young people are choosing careers in advanced manufacturing workshops as "new blue-collar" workers, though this "blue-collar" differs from previous generations. Data from the College Graduate Employment Blue Book shows that among 2024 graduates, the electronic and electrical equipment manufacturing sector ranked first in monthly income at 7,463 yuan, followed by transportation equipment manufacturing at 7,143 yuan, surpassing the information transmission, software, and IT services sector. People's sense of fulfillment is built on sustained economic growth and rising incomes. China's economy has grown for decades, with every individual contributing to and benefiting from this growth. Over the past five years, disposable income has kept pace with GDP growth, a remarkable global achievement. Increased income enables better consumption, translating into tangible feelings of fulfillment, happiness, and security.

From vulnerable groups to new employment populations, a structural social safety net is being built. Every nation faces transitions, cycles, and shocks during development. Societal resilience and security rely on a robust social safety net for systemic support. After decades of reform and development, China has established the world's largest social security system, with 1.07 billion people enrolled in basic pension insurance and 1.327 billion in basic medical insurance. Achieving such scale in such a short time is unparalleled among major global economies. As a developing country, China's average social security level still lags behind developed nations, and efforts must be "within capabilities and resources." However, the wisdom of China's approach lies in targeted policies that quickly address the most urgent needs of vulnerable groups, creating a unique Chinese solution for social security. In Shangyou, Jiangxi, a farmer suffering from chronic hepatitis needed a liver transplant but was deterred by the high cost of 370,000 yuan. Unexpectedly, the local medical insurance department reached out proactively after their system flagged his medical expenses as exceeding the threshold for monitoring poverty due to illness. Cross-department collaboration was swiftly initiated, recognizing him as a person in difficulty. Through triple-layer protection—basic medical insurance, critical illness insurance, and medical assistance—his treatment costs were reimbursed by 294,800 yuan. Ensuring that those most in need are not overlooked reflects responsibility. China now has full confidence and capacity to provide timely assistance. As industries evolve, the social safety net must remain sensitive and resilient to avoid gaps and risks. With the rise of new sectors like food delivery and courier services, millions of delivery workers were initially outside the social security system. Despite decent incomes, they faced significant uncertainties. Currently, pilot programs for occupational injury protection for workers in new forms of employment cover 17 provinces, insuring over 25 million people and effectively providing security. This year, the pilot will expand nationwide. Some platform companies have begun signing labor contracts and contributing to employee social insurance, further reducing coverage gaps. Accelerating efforts to fill these gaps enhances individual future security, improves consumption expectations and structures, reduces defensive savings, and encourages more spending, particularly among low- and middle-income groups with higher marginal propensities to consume. China's "accumulated social security fund balance + strategic reserve funds" exceed ten trillion yuan, providing a solid material foundation. With continuous optimization of institutional design, the social security system will undoubtedly become a sturdy foundation for people's fulfillment, happiness, and security.

From vocational training to addressing urgent needs, investing in human development capabilities. At this year's National People's Congress, deputy Jia Liang shared his background. Due to family hardships, he began working in the city after junior high school in 2004, engaging in street vending, welding, and apprenticeships. Despite hardships, he believed that mastering a skill could transform his life. Starting as an apprentice in auto repair's most demanding tasks, he progressed to become a National Labor Model and a national-level skilled master. Enhancing livelihood and well-being ultimately means empowering everyone to build a better life through their own efforts and achieve personal development. Currently, Jia Liang leads a national-level skilled master studio at Fuyang Technician College, training and supplying thousands of skilled workers to enterprises in need. These thousands of trainees are all potential future versions of Jia Liang. Livelihood and well-being encompass many aspects, but from an endogenous perspective, education is the most fundamental element. China's basic education coverage and key indicators now surpass the average of upper-middle-income countries, with preschool and compulsory education reaching the average level of high-income countries. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, efforts will accelerate to increase supply of senior high school places and quality undergraduate degrees, making educational investment the core strategy for human capital development. At a deeper level, investing in people signifies a major shift in development philosophy. Currently, the real estate market is stabilizing, grappling with消化 existing housing inventory and shrinking new construction. This year's government work report首次 included "strengthening housing security for first-marriage and first-child families," aiming to drive investment in physical assets through human investment, addressing housing as a key lever for creating youth-friendly cities. Solving young people's housing issues transforms urban instability into a sense of belonging, shifts short-term thinking to long-term planning, and allows daily efforts to translate into more time for a better life. As urbanization transitions from rapid growth to stable development, urban construction increasingly focuses on investing in people. The development logic shifts from "industry-city-people" (driven by physical assets) to "people-city-industry" (driven by human capital), prioritizing resident satisfaction and building modern people-centric cities. China's economic future hinges on a "two-way convergence" between pioneering innovation and improving daily livelihoods. On one hand, leveraging industrial clusters, engineer dividends, and a vast market ecosystem to explore frontier technologies; on the other, caring for ordinary life by enhancing livelihoods and boosting domestic demand to solidify economic and social foundations. People's sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security is rooted in national economic growth and rising incomes. The broad direction for the 15th Five-Year Plan is set, offering hope, confidence, and perseverance for better lives. China's commitment to safeguarding livelihood and well-being is always "on the journey."