The plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), also called the plenum, will be held for four days from Monday (October 20) to Thursday (October 23).
What is the plenum?
The plenum brings together the top 370 officials of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee to outline the next economic and political roadmap. This is the fourth of about seven plenums held during each five-year term of the Central Committee.
It is also kept highly closed-door with very little new information made public till the meeting ends. To prevent any information leakage, attendees are confined to the venue throughout the four days of the meeting with a strict press restriction in place.
As for the first day of the meeting on Monday (October 20), state media Xinhua reported that Xi Jinping, the country’s president and the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has presented proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) without divulging any details about the plan.
Why all eyes are on Beijing’s ongoing plenum?
There are two key reasons why the ongoing plenum is drawing huge interest among global leaders and China watchers.
Potential reshuffle: Reshuffles are expected with at least nine of its top members likely to be replaced either due to retirement or ongoing investigations against a few of them on charges of corruption, South China Morning Post reported.
Purging has significantly increased under President Xi Jinping’s leadership who, China analysts believe, has launched an anti-corruption campaign to get rid of officials not loyal to him.
More recently, China’s second-highest ranking general and eight other senior officials from the party and the military were expelled on grounds of suspected corruption.
Roadmap to invigorate domestic economy: The fourth plenum will also offer indication of what China will prioritise in the next five years to drive economic growth. Domestically, the Asian giant has been making efforts to spur consumer demand and attract foreign investors to drive growth amid a slowing economy. It could also offer a window into how it aligns global trade and economy strategy from 2026 to 2030, which also coincides with much of Trump’s second presidency.
What happens next?
The meeting is expected to conclude later this week with a formal communiqué, summarising the discussions and offering broad policy direction. The details of the 15th Five-Year Plan will likely be finalized over the next few months and ratified during the National People’s Congress in March 2026.
Based on government communication and recent developments, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and regulating its use for businesses and individuals is also likely to figure in the five-year plan.
In August this year, the government had launched AI Plus initiative, stating it aims to integrate AI into all sectors of its economy, government, and society, by as much as 90% by 2030.
