Bangladesh, Dec. 28 -- The coming year is likely to deliver its share of political shocks and economic surprises. Yet amid this uncertainty, one feature of the global landscape remains remarkably predictable: the unveiling of Chinas next five-year plan. The 15th iteration of this unique governing blueprint will not merely guide Chinas development trajectory through to 2030; it will also serve as a key reference point for governments, investors, and strategists worldwide who are trying to understand where the worlds second-largest economy-and increasingly influential geopolitical actor-is heading.

For decades, Beijings five-year plans have been far more than domestic policy documents. They have become fixtures of the international calenda...