Global impact | China eyes tech and economic goals for at third plenum, but few drastic changes expected

In this week’s issue, we take a look ahead to China’s third plenum, which has been a landmark occasion since Deng Xiaoping’s groundbreaking reforms in 1978

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Published: 2:00pm, 2 Jul 2024Updated: 9:42am, 3 Jul 2024

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China’s elite will assemble in Beijing next month for the long-awaited third plenum, which comes at a time of much turmoil for the world’s second-largest economy.

With this in mind, Beijing set the tone for the long-anticipated conclave by presenting ambitious economic and tech development goals for the next decade.

The objectives were contained in a statement issued after a meeting of the Politburo – a high-level decision-making body in Chinese politics – which also confirmed the delayed plenum would last four days from July 15.

The 10-year timeline for these prerogatives – covering a broad range of issues, from the economy to social development and state-building amid intense external challenges – would go beyond President Xi Jinping’s third term, which ends in 2028.

The state-backed Xinhua News Agency said the plenary session would “primarily examine issues related to further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernisation”.

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