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The closed-door session, known as the Fourth Plenum, will review proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan, which sets out China’s economic and social development strategy for 2026–2030.

The meeting comes at a critical time for Beijing, as the government grapples with deep domestic economic challenges while navigating an increasingly hostile global environment marked by trade disputes with the U.S. and restrictions on access to Western technology.

According to data released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s economic growth fell to its lowest level in the third quarter of this year. The Bureau reported a year-on-year growth rate of 4.8%, down from 5.2% in the previous quarter, reflecting the pressure weighing on the economy.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, comprising 370 of the nation’s most powerful leaders, holds seven plenary sessions during each five-year term. The upcoming meeting will be the fourth for the 20th Central Committee, elected in 2022.

The main agenda of the meeting is to discuss and approve the Party’s proposals for the 15th Five-Year Plan, which will take effect after approval by Parliament in March 2026.

The plan is a comprehensive document outlining a series of socioeconomic targets for the next five years, including average life expectancy, labor productivity growth, and grain production capacity.

Key sectors highlighted in the 14th Five-Year Plan include semiconductors, biotechnology, and aviation. In 2024, total R&D investment exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan, marking a 48% increase from 2020.