THE 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its fourth plenary session in Beijing from October 20 to 23, 2025.

A total of 168 members and 147 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the session. Members of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials from relevant departments were present in a non-voting capacity. The Political Bureau of the Central Committee presided over the meeting, during which Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered important addresses.

 Participants listened to and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented on its behalf by Xi Jinping. They also deliberated over and adopted the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, with Xi providing explanatory remarks on the draft.

 The Central Committee fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau since the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee. It was unanimously agreed that notable progress has been achieved in implementing the guiding principles of the Party’s 20th National Congress and subsequent plenary sessions, adhering to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, and fully applying the new development philosophy on all fronts.

 The Political Bureau was credited with coordinating implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, balancing domestic and international imperatives, and ensuring both development and security. 

Further achievements were noted in deepening reform comprehensively, advancing high-quality development, strengthening socialist democracy and the rule of law, improving public communication and cultural work, enhancing people’s wellbeing, protecting the environment, safeguarding national security and social stability, strengthening full and rigorous Party self-governance, modernizing national defense and the armed forces, advancing work related to Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, pursuing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and promoting sustained economic recovery and growth.

 As a result, China stands on the verge of accomplishing the major objectives and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The session also noted that China had recently commemorated the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, an occasion that significantly lifted national spirit, strengthened patriotism, and further pooled strength for the country’s collective endeavours.

 Participants gave a positive assessment of China’s major development achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), describing it as a momentous and extraordinary phase in the country’s development. Facing a complex international environment and demanding domestic tasks, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core united the entire Party and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to confront difficulties head-on and advance with determination.

 China successfully withstood the severe shocks of the once-in-a-century Covid-19 pandemic, responded effectively to major risks and challenges, and secured significant new achievements in the cause of the Party and the country. With new heights reached in economic strength, scientific and technological capacity, and composite national strength, solid strides were made in advancing Chinese modernization, marking a successful start toward the Second Centenary Goal.

 The session emphasized that socialist modernization can only be achieved through sustained, generational effort. The 15th Five-Year Plan period will be critical as China reinforces its foundations and advances toward basically realizing socialist modernization by 2035, serving as a key bridge between past achievements and future goals. During this period, China’s development environment will undergo profound and complex changes.

 China remains in a development stage where strategic opportunities coexist with risks and challenges, amid rising uncertainties. Nonetheless, the economy rests on solid foundations, demonstrating strong resilience, significant potential, and advantages rooted in socialism with Chinese characteristics, a vast domestic market, a complete industrial system, and abundant human resources. The underlying trends supporting long-term growth remain unchanged.

 All Party members were urged to fully grasp the decisive significance of establishing Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position in the Party Central Committee and the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. 

 They were called upon to maintain political integrity, think in big-picture terms, follow the leadership core, align with the central Party leadership, remain confident in the socialist path, theory, system, and culture, and uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

 The session stressed the need to maintain strategic resolve and confidence of success, proactively respond to change, demonstrate courage in struggle, and confront risks and challenges head-on. By focusing on managing China’s own affairs, the Party aims to continue writing new chapters in rapid economic growth and long-term social stability, opening new horizons for Chinese modernization.

 In pursuing economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Party will remain committed to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and fully implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. The guiding principles of the 20th National Congress and its plenary sessions will be thoroughly applied.

 To advance toward the Second Centenary Goal of building a great modern socialist country and rejuvenating the Chinese nation through modernization, coordinated implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy remains essential. China will fully apply the new development philosophy, accelerate the creation of a new development pattern, and adhere to the principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability.

 Economic development will remain the central task, with high-quality development as the main focus, reform and innovation as the driving force, meeting people’s needs for a better life as the fundamental goal, and full and rigorous Party self-governance as the underpinning. 

 The Central Committee established guiding principles for the 15th Five-Year Plan, including upholding Party leadership, putting people first, pursuing high-quality development, deepening reform, promoting synergy between an efficient market and a well-functioning government, and ensuring both development and security. 

 Major objectives include advances in high-quality development, scientific and technological self-reliance, reform, cultural progress, quality of life, ecological civilization, and national security.

 By 2035, China aims to see marked improvements in economic strength, technological capability, national defense, composite national power, and international influence, with per capita GDP reaching the level of mid-tier developed countries and socialist modernization basically realized.

 The session outlined comprehensive tasks across industrial modernization, innovation, domestic market expansion, market economy reform, high-standard opening up, rural revitalization, regional coordination, cultural development, social wellbeing, green transition, national security, military modernization, and Party self-governance.

 The session concluded with a call for the whole Party, the entire military, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to rally more closely around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, work in unity to fulfill the 15th Five-Year Plan, and continue advancing the building of a great country and national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.