The Fifth Plenary Session of the 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing from October 9 to 11. A total of 183 members and 144 alternate members of the Central Committee attended the plenum, with members of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials of relevant departments as non-voting participants.

The plenum was presided over by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee. Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the Central Committee, made an important speech at the meeting.

The plenum examined and approved the Proposal of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party for Formulating the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) for National Economic and Social Development. Premier Zhu Rongji explained the draft proposal.

The plenum heaped praise on China's achievements in economic construction and social development since the start of reform and opening to the outside world more than 20 years ago, especially during the 9th Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) period.

Thanks to the concerted efforts by the whole Party and people of various ethnic groups nationwide, China's productive force has made remarkable advances, the shortage in commodity supply has generally ended, and noteworthy changes have occurred in the balance between market demand and supply.

The foundation of a socialist market economic system has been established and the market mechanism is playing, increasingly markedly, a basic role in the distribution of resources; this represents a significant change in the system environment for China's economic development.

The opening to the outside world has progressed in an all-around way and the open economy has been growing rapidly, leading to major changes in foreign economic relations.

China has successfully realized the first two strategic objectives in modernizing itself, with the economy and society developing comprehensively and people generally living a comfortable life. This reality is a new milestone in the development history of the Chinese nation.

The plenum profoundly analyzed the situation both at home and abroad which China's reform and opening-up and modernization drive are confronted with on the threshold of the new century. Plenum participants held that China will enter a new development stage of building a well-to-do society in an all-around way and speeding up modernization.

The next five to ten years will be an important period for China's economic and social development, for carrying out strategic readjustment in the economic structure, and for fine-tuning the socialist market economic system and expanding opening-up.

The plenum put forward the major objectives for economic and social development during the 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005), based on the arrangements made at the National Congress of the 15th Central Committee of the CPC for China's modernization in the new century.

The goals are to: maintain a relatively rapid speed for economic development, make progress in strategic economic restructuring and considerably improve economic growth quality and efficiency, in a bid to lay a solid foundation for doubling the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010, compared with that of 2000; make major progress in setting up the modern enterprise system in state-owned enterprises and a relatively sound social security system, make substantial progress in improving the socialist market economic system, and participate in international cooperation and competition in a larger scope and to a deeper extent; widen employment channels, continuously raise the incomes of residents in urban and rural areas, considerably improve the material and cultural life, and strengthen protection and the eco-system and environment; speed up the development of science, technology and education in an effort to further improve people's quality, and make obvious headway in promoting the ethical and cultural progress and the democratic and legal system.

The plenum stressed that to promulgate the 10th Five-Year Plan and work to complete the above-mentioned objectives, development must be the main theme, with economic restructuring as the masterstroke, reform and opening-up and scientific and technological progress as the driving forces, and enhanced living standards as the starting point.

The meeting held that development is the overriding principle and the key to resolving all problems facing China. A relatively rapid development speed must be maintained for solving the contradictions and problems existing in the economy and society, at a time when China is facing a new situation, featured by intensifying economic globalization, swift and powerful scientific and technological revolutions, accelerated industrial restructuring, increasingly fierce international competition, and the arduous tasks of the country's modernization drive. Consistent efforts must be made to carry out the spirit of the 15th CPC National Congress, never waver on the principle of focusing on economic construction, seize opportunities and speed up development in a bid to enhance the country's overall strength.

Efforts must be focused on improving economic benefits and restructuring economy strategically in order to maintain a sustainable, rapid and healthy economic development, which is a necessary step to raise the quality of the national economy as a whole, expand domestic demand, and strengthen international competitiveness.

Work must be done to optimize the industrial structure to upgrade China's agriculture, industry and the service sector for better benefits in an all-around way. Particular attention should be paid to strengthening the leading role of agriculture to guarantee the country's grain security, readjust the agricultural structure, and make it possible to increase farmers' incomes continuously.

Measures should be taken to speed up industrial reorganization and transformation, and raise the overall quality of China's industry and sharpen its international competitive edge. Great efforts must be made to develop the service sector to substantially expand its share in the national economy.

To continue the industrialization process is a difficult and historical task in China's modernization drive, and to vigorously promote the construction of information infrastructure for the country's economic and social development is a strategic step that affects the modernization in its entirety. Work should be done to make use of advantages in strength to realize rapid development in social productive forces, with information helping boost industrialization.

The distribution of productive forces should be rationally readjusted to best carry out the strategy of developing the western areas of the country, and steady efforts should be made to promote urbanization and balanced regional, urban and rural development. Effort must be intensified to improve infrastructure, protect the eco-system and environment, and strengthen control over population and resources so as to maintain sustainable development.

The plenum agreed that promotion of economic development and restructuring should rely on structural and scientific innovation. Reforms should be deepened to break through the obstacles holding back productivity.

Large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises should establish modern enterprise system and strengthen corporate governance structure so as to become worthy competitors in the market.

The plenum urged that the readjustment of the distribution and ownership structure of the state-owned economy should be promoted, and the healthy development of the self-employed and privately-owned businesses, especially those in technically-oriented firms, be supported, encouraged and guided.

A unified national market system with fair competition, standardization and order should be established and perfected. The government's function should be further transformed according to the need of the development of the socialist market economy. The macro-restructuring and management should be strengthened and improved.

With the pacing up of the process of entering the World Trade Organization, China's opening-up policy has entered a new stage. Steps should be taken to ensure the country opens to the outside world at various levels and in wider fields.

Scientific and technological advance is the decisive factor to enhance a country's comprehensive strength. The strategy of revitalizing China by relying science and education should be continued, and active measures should be taken to promote high-tech research of strategic importance, develop the high-tech industry and enhance the sustained innovative capability of the high-tech industry.

It is a major strategic task to train, attract and give full play to the role of talented personnel, and efforts should be made to do a good job of it, and to vigorously develop human resources, step up the development of education and build up a huge contingent of quality talents.

The plenum held that it is both the starting point and the ultimate goal of economic development to keep improving the people's living standard. Measures should be adopted to increase the income for urban and rural residents, improve their living standards, and provide social security so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment.

More job opportunities should be created, preferential policies will be adopted to encourage people to find jobs themselves and promote reemployment in various ways. Work should be done to deepen the reform of the income distribution system, standardize the social distribution order, encourage the participation of capital, technology and other production factors in the distribution.

A complete social security system is an important pillar of a socialist market economic system. Efforts should be done to gradually establish and improve the basic retirement insurance, medical insurance and unemployment insurance systems for urban workers and staff, as well as the minimum living standard for urban residents, so as to form as soon as possible a social security system supported by multiple fund sources, standardized social security regulations and socialized management and service.

The plenum pointed out that in order to push forward the socialist modernization, economic growth and comprehensive social progress must become realities.

The promotion of socialist cultural progress and the development of a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics are important elements of the socialist modernization drive, according to the plenum.

Therefore, practical efforts should be made to promote cultural progress, meet the continuously growing demands of the people in various aspects of the cultural life, improve the overall quality of the people and enhance the cohesion of the nation.

According to the plenum, to develop a political system of socialist democracy, run the state according to law and build a socialist country under the rule of law are important goals of the socialist modernization drive.

As required by the reform of the economic system and the modernization drive, restructuring of the political system has to continue, and more efforts should be made to enhance democracy and the legal system.

The plenum called for enhancing the democratic political system, promoting scientific and democratic decision-making and expanding the people's participation in political affairs in an orderly way.

The plenum also called for establishing and perfecting a legal system that is compatible with the socialist market economy, maintaining orderly markets and safeguarding fair competition, conducting administration according to law, enforcing the law as it is written, and securing judicial justice.

It called for balancing reform, development and stability, maintaining long-term social stability and creating favorable conditions for the reform, opening and modernization drive.

The plenum also called for enhancement of national defense.

The plenum pointed out that in the new century, China faces three major tasks -- pushing forward the modernization drive, realizing reunification of the motherland, and maintaining world peace and promoting common development.

The development of the party is the basic guarantee of the achievement of these goals, according to the plenum.

The plenum emphasized that according to the requirements of "three representations" or Jiang Zemin's instructions on the Party's role, the Party should strengthen itself ideologically, organizationally and in its work style in all aspects so as to enhance its cohesion and combat effectiveness.

The plenum called for the party to establish a truth-seeking, practical, straightforward and diligent work style and oppose formalism and bureaucratism. According to the plenum, the Party should insist on strict discipline of its members and step up the fight against corruption. When considering the further development of the socialist cause and the transition from the old generation to the young, the Party should strengthen development of the cadres and leadership at all levels, especially the young cadres, so as to guarantee the continuity and progress of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The plenum decided to promote Yue Haiyan, Huang Zhiquan and Wang Zhengfu, all alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, to fill vacancies in full membership of the Committee.

The plenum passed the Report on Examination of the Problems of Comrade Xu Penghang by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The plenum decided to repeal Xu's alternate membership of the CPC Central Committee and punish him by placing him on probation for two years.

The plenum called for all members of the Party to unite closely around the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin at the core, raise high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Thought, keep to the basic line of the Party, rouse themselves, be enterprising, work in a down-to-earth manner, unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups of the country to build a prosperous, democratic, civilized and modern socialist country, and see to it that reunification of the motherland occurs as soon as possible.

(Xinhua 10/11/2000)