China’s Communist Party signals further delay to third plenum, a key economic session
- Politburo holds monthly meeting but makes no mention of when the party’s much-anticipated plenum will take place
- Xi Jinping underscores focus on growth with planned trip to Shanghai this week
The Politburo was expected to announce a date for the conclave – the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee – when the leadership gathered for its monthly meeting on Monday but there was no mention of the plenum in the Politburo’s statement.
The meeting was held a day before Xi’s visit to Shanghai – his first to China’s commercial hub since 2020, according to several sources familiar with the matter.
He is expected to visit the Shanghai Futures Exchange and some technology companies in the city, according to several people familiar with the plan, who declined to be named to discuss a confidential itinerary.
The sources said Xi was scheduled to remain in Shanghai for three days, although the final plan could still change.
The next Politburo meeting is not expected until the end of December and the omission of any decision on a plenum date from Monday’s meeting indicates the session is not likely to take place this year. It will be the first time since 1984 that the party has not convened a third plenum in the year following the five-yearly party congress.
