The Chinese Communist Party is set to decide this week on its new plan, which will serve as the framework for the economy between 2026 and 2030.
Once again, from Monday, October 20 to Thursday, October 23, the Jingxi Hotel in western Beijing is the setting for a closed-door meeting of the 372 full and alternate members of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee. The only outcome will be a communiqué. Behind the formalities of the Fourth Plenum (of the 20th Party Congress) lies the future of the world’s second-largest economy. Despite its modernization, China remains a top-down planned economy, with sectors prioritized by Beijing, and targets for building railway lines or raising citizens’ living standards. This time, the Party must decide on the 15th Five-Year Plan, which will serve as the framework for China’s economy and policies from early 2026 to the end of 2030.
For at least two years, CCP organs, ministries, and provinces have been working on this crucial roadmap. The Fourth Plenum will unsurprisingly validate the document, which will also be approved by the Party’s Parliament in March. It reflects the priorities of the leadership, particularly the highly powerful President Xi Jinping, and is strictly implemented at all levels thereafter.