China’s top Communist Party leaders make final preparations behind closed doors ahead of 20th party congress as Xi Jinping looks set for third term in power
- The Central Committee wrapped up the 4-day plenum where senior cadres will have been briefed about the major leadership shake-up to be announced next week
- Next week’s set piece is also expected to see changes to the party’s constitution that will further cement Xi’s position and that of his political philosophy
The four-day closed-door plenum meeting of 358 full and alternative Central Committee members is the last gathering of the party elite before the national congress starts on Sunday, where they will be joined by some 2,000 other delegates from across the country.
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Explainer: What is the Chinese Communist Party’s 20th national congress?
The gathering was the first time senior party officials had heard directly from the top leadership about the plans and changes that will be announced next week.
In Chinese politics, key decisions are often made before the formal meeting and are kept on a need-to-know basis. The congress will serve as an occasion for delegates to legitimise the decisions and communicate them to the public.
The report released by the official news agency Xinhua on Wednesday gave little detail about the plenum meeting. It just said the members “reviewed the current situation and key tasks” and carried out in-depth discussions of major issues concerning China’s development.
It added: “They are now fully prepared for the 20th party congress.”
