Press conference on guiding principles of the 4th plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee

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Read in Chinese

Speakers:

Mr. Jiang Jinquan, director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee

Mr. Han Wenxiu, deputy director in charge of routine work of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs and director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group

Mr. Zheng Shanjie, secretary of the leading Party members group of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and chairman of the NDRC

Mr. Yin Hejun, secretary of the leading Party members group of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and minister of science and technology

Mr. Wang Wentao, secretary of the leading Party members group of the Ministry of Commerce and minister of commerce

Mr. Lei Haichao, secretary of the leading Party members group of the National Health Commission (NHC) and minister of the NHC

Chairperson:

Mr. Mo Gaoyi, deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and minister of the State Council Information Office (SCIO)

Date:

Oct. 24, 2025

Mo Gaoyi:

Ladies and gentlemen, comrades, friends from the media, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

From Oct. 20-23, the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing. This plenary session was an important meeting held at a critical time when China is on the verge of accomplishing the major objectives and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and is entering a key period of reinforcing the foundations and pushing ahead on all fronts toward basically achieving socialist modernization. The session 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, and successfully completed all items on its agenda. Today, we have invited leading officials from relevant departments to brief you on and interpret the session's guiding principles, and to answer your questions.

Present at today's press conference are:

Mr. Jiang Jinquan, director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee;

Mr. Han Wenxiu, deputy director in charge of routine work of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs and director of the Office of the Central Rural Work Leading Group;

Mr. Zheng Shanjie, secretary of the leading Party members group of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and chairman of the NDRC;

Mr. Yin Hejun, secretary of the leading Party members group of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and minister of science and technology;

Mr. Wang Wentao, secretary of the leading Party members group of the Ministry of Commerce and minister of commerce;

and Mr. Lei Haichao, secretary of the leading Party members group of the National Health Commission (NHC) and minister of the NHC.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Jiang Jinquan, who will brief you on the session and the drafting work of related documents.

Jiang Jinquan:

Hello, friends from the media. It's my pleasure to brief you on the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.

As you know, the session was held in Beijing from Oct. 20-23. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee presided over the meeting, and General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered important addresses. Members and 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 other relevant departments were present at the meeting in a non-voting capacity. Some of our primary-level colleagues and a number of experts and scholars who served as delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress also attended the meeting in a non-voting capacity. The session's participants listened to and discussed a report on the work of the Political Bureau, presented on its behalf by General Secretary 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. All the items on the session's agenda were successfully completed.

At the session, 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, in the face of a complicated international landscape and the challenging domestic tasks of advancing reform, promoting development and ensuring stability, the Political Bureau has earnestly implemented the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee. While focusing on four major tasks, it has coordinated the advancement of various undertakings of the Party and the country, and promoted sustained economic recovery. The major objectives and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan are about to be accomplished, and new, solid progress has been achieved in advancing Chinese modernization.

The most important outcome of the plenary session was the deliberation and adoption of the recommendations. The scientific formulation and consistent implementation of five-year plans have been an important experience of the CPC in governing the country and a key political strength of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Many foreign political parties admire us for this. The 20th CPC National Congress set the target of basically achieving socialist modernization by 2035, and the 15th Five-Year Plan period will be a critical stage for consolidating the foundations and making comprehensive efforts toward this goal. Formulating the recommendations for the 15th Five-Year Plan and systematically planning the economic and social development during this period is essential for realizing the grand blueprint drawn by the 20th CPC National Congress, and for advancing Chinese modernization in stages and steps. It is also critical to effectively responding to the new and complex changes in the external environment and gaining strategic initiative in intense international competition. Additionally, it is necessary for meeting China's evolving development needs and deepening high-quality development. Overall, it holds great significance.

The recommendations were drafted under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee. Leading the drafting team, General Secretary Xi Jinping set the overall vision and provided guidance throughout the process, playing a decisive role. The drafting team earnestly implemented General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, upheld the correct direction, stood firmly with the people, focused on grasping the overriding trends and strengthened strategic planning - with particular emphasis on promoting democracy, pooling wisdom and building consensus. Two major rounds of opinion solicitation were conducted. The first round began on Jan. 22 this year, when the CPC Central Committee issued a notice to solicit opinions from various localities and departments on the 15th Five-Year Plan recommendations. In May, General Secretary Xi Jinping gave important instructions on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, emphasizing the importance of upholding scientific, democratic and law-based decision-making, as well as the need to listen to the views and suggestions of the people and all sectors of society through various means, and fully draw on the fresh experiences gained by officials and the public in practice. General Secretary Xi Jinping led by example. He personally presided over two symposiums to solicit views from leading officials of seven provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, as well as non-CPC personages. He also entrusted Premier Li Qiang with chairing three symposiums to listen to the opinions from representatives of the economic and scientific communities and from the grassroots level. From May to June, relevant central departments organized a monthlong online solicitation of opinions open to the entire society on the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan, receiving a total of more than 3.113 million valid submissions. The second round took place after the draft recommendations were completed. On Aug. 4, the CPC Central Committee distributed the draft to all localities, government departments and relevant institutions to seek their feedback, collecting a total of 2,112 suggestions for revisions. After in-depth study, the drafting team adopted 452 of them — a 21.4% adoption rate. The drafting of the recommendations can be said to be another vivid example of promoting intra-Party democracy and whole-process people's democracy. It highlights the firm political stance of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core - respecting the people's principal role in making history, acting entirely for the people and relying closely on the people.

The recommendations are about to be released. The document consists of 15 sections and 61 articles, divided into three major parts. The first part is an overview, comprising sections I and II, mainly outlining the major achievements made during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, as well as the significance and overall requirements of securing economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The second part covers sections III through XIV, detailing the strategic tasks and key initiatives across different sectors for the 15th Five-Year Plan period. The third part, consisting of section XV and the conclusion, mainly focuses on upholding and strengthening the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and advancing socialist democracy and the rule of law.

During the plenary session, the participants engaged in a lively discussion and spoke highly of the recommendations. It was unanimously agreed that the recommendations are another important guiding document in the history of our Party, with sound and targeted guiding principles, clear and definite development goals, and down-to-earth and practical tasks and measures. The document is another overall arrangement and call to action for building momentum and continuously advancing Chinese modernization, which will have significant and far-reaching impact on the undertakings of the Party and the country.

That concludes my introduction. Thank you.