BEIJING (Kyodo) — China’s ruling Communist Party started a key four-day session Monday to lay out a new five-year economic and social development plan through 2030, state-run media said, with the world’s second-largest economy facing challenges such as a property sector crisis and trade tensions with the United States.
The fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee, which brings together top party officials, is also expected to discuss ways to address the graying of the society and the promotion of environment-friendly policies among other issues.
At the closed-door meeting, leader Xi Jinping delivered a work report and explained draft proposals for the formulation of the five-year plan, the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The conclave is set to release a communique outlining the 2026-2030 plan after it concludes the key gathering on Thursday, with its full details expected to be issued during the annual session of its parliament, the National People’s Congress, next spring.
In its commentary, Xinhua said China will foster “new quality productive forces” over the next five years to drive economic growth, aiming to “intensify scientific and technological innovation and achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in critical areas.”
Besides the economic issues, the plenary session may also decide on personnel matters before the Communist Party holds a twice-a-decade congress in 2027.
Ahead of the fourth plenum, China announced the expulsion of nine senior military officers, including He Weidong, a vice chairman of the country’s top national defense body led by Xi, for “serious violations” of Communist Party discipline and the law.
As part of an anti-corruption campaign led by the president, the nine, including Miao Hua, another member of the Central Military Commission, were stripped of their Communist Party membership, the Defense Ministry said Friday.
The ruling party typically holds seven plenums over a five-year cycle. The formulation of a five-year economic plan is usually discussed during the fifth plenary session, but this time the fourth plenum took up the topic after the third plenum was held in July last year after a months-long delay.
