Some 350 members and alternate members of the Communist Party of China's Central Committee gathered at the Jingxi Hotel in western Beijing to kick off the annual plenary session of the Party, the Fifth Plenum of the 15th CPC Central Committee.

Delegates to the meeting are expected to discuss major economic plans and policies for the coming five years from 2001 to 2005, or the 10th Fifth-Year Plan.

In addition, the meeting is also expected to touch on Party building and an ongoing anti-corruption campaign, among other issues.

At the end of the three-day meeting, the Plenum is expected to issue a communique that will set out the 10th five-year plan on China's economic development, shedding light on key financial, banking and state-enterprise reform measures as China is going to become a full member of the World Trade Organization.

The five-year plan is also expected to lay out other key measures in poverty-allieviation, agriculture reform, development of the backward western regions and urbanization, sources said.

(China Daily 10/09/2000)