On 15 July, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) kick started their third plenary session. The focus of this session will be on comprehensive reforms and furthering Chinese modernization. The main agenda would be on policy changes for a new quality productive force while having steady support for the private economy. They would also focus on the coordination of development and security. The third plenary session will also review the achievements and development under Xi Jinping’s leadership. The policy goals will lay down plans for 2035. The meeting will be chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
 
What is a plenary session of CPC?
The National Congress of CPC advises the National People’s Congress after the plenary sessions are held every five years. During this meeting, the National Congress makes decisions regarding the boarder economic developments and political reforms. The Central Committee appointed by the National Congress during these meetings executes the policy changes approved during the plenary sessions. The Central Committee has tenure of five years and is limited to two terms, during which they have seven plenary sessions. The third plenary session is an important one as it reviews the development mid-way and further lays down plans for the years ahead. It is during the third plenary session that massive policy changes are revealed. Below are maps down the general functions of the plenary session:

Why is the third plenum so important?
The third plenum indicates how the country will follow in the coming decade. The third plenary session is also a rare look for the world to see what the Chinese goal for the coming decade is. There were been two historic Third Plenums: the 1978 Third Plenum of the 11th Central Committee, which happened after the death of Mao Zedong, during this session they officially ended the cultural revolution and opened up China under Deng Xiaoping. The second one is the 1993 session where under Jiang Zemin they set the stage to transition from the social economy to more aggressive economic reforms.

What is expected of the current Plenum?
The current Plenum is focused on political reform not limited to economic development. Chinese President Xi Jinping will promote “comprehensively deepening reform,” hinting that he doesn’t want reforms and development in one area but all. His reforms are aimed to “advance the modernization of China’s governance system and capacity.” There is also an expected shift from rapid growth to quality growth, where they would seek innovation and modernization development, according to an editorial in Asia Society “Politics First: The Key to Understanding China’s Third Plenum.” The editorial also suggests that Science & Technology would be at the forefront of the Third Plenum session. They cited Xi‘s address at the  National Science and Technology Conference (NSTC) saying: “Chinese-style modernization depends on S&T modernization as a support.” Another expected reform is the strategic freedom for pro-business policies where the market would be given full play for S&T development. But Xi also wants the market and firms to operate in line with the Party guidelines and regulatory measures. The plenum is also expected to come out with more social welfare policies incentivizing childbirth and reducing child-rearing costs.

How media does see the third plenum?
Global Times, the Chinese flagship media house editorial calls the third plenum as a pivotal gathering as it sets the country’s priorities straight for the coming years. Some observers said that the plenum is conducted at an important juncture as China faces a hostile international environment as the West blocks Chinese development. The editorial stated that: “the monumental gathering is a timely rebuttal to those smearing campaigns.” It also believes that the Third Plenum is a window to the outsiders to under China’s development.

While Asia Society, calls the plenum session a “rubber stamp, “meeting on already decided policy reforms. The policy reforms are filled with party jargon with no conclusive idea of what the policy suggestion leads to. Asia Society editorial called the plenum “Overrated,” stating that most over hype the importance of the plenum and that those reforms are based on already outlined by the party leaders.

References
“Third plenum to usher China into a new chapter in the march toward Chinese modernization,” Global Times, 14 July 2024
“Third Plenum of the 20th CPC Central Committee has profound significance for both China and the world: Global Times editorial,” Global Times, 15 July 2024
“Introduction to China’s Plenary Sessions and the CPC Central Committee,” The Gateway House, 14 November 2013
Neil Thomas and Jing Qian, “Politics First: The Key to Understanding China’s Third Plenum,” Asia Society, 10 July 2024