The Third Plenum of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will be held in Beijing this October.

The plenum will mainly discuss how to further improve China's socialist market economic system, and deliberate a proposed amendment to the Chinese Constitution.

The decision to convene the plenum was made at Monday's meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, presided over by General Secretary Hu Jintao.

The Political Bureau held that the target set forth at the 16thCPC National Congress of establishing a complete socialist market economic system and a more vigorous and more open economic system calls for further economic restructuring to stimulate economic and social development.

The reform should be stepped up to further emancipate and expand productive forces at a time when economic globalization and the advance of science and technology are accelerating, and when China is working for moderate prosperity and building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

A stable Chinese Constitution serves as the foundation for stability of the country. The current Constitution of China generally accommodates the needs of reform, opening up and modernization drive.

However, it is still necessary to make certain amendments to promote economic and social development.

Deng Xiaoping theory and the important thought of "Three Represents" should serve as guidelines for both the reform of the economic system and the revision of the Constitution. Meanwhile, the spirit of the 16th CPC National Congress of emancipating the mind, seeking truth and keeping pace with the times should be fully carried out while fulfilling both tasks.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of pursuing correct political direction and soliciting opinions from all circles in revising the Constitution.

The proposed amendment to the Chinese Constitution, after being deliberated at the Third Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee, will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress for deliberation in accordance with the legal procedures.

At the next plenum, the Political Bureau of the 16th CPC Central Committee will also report its work to the Central Committee, which were both elected last November at the 16th National Congress of the CPC.

(Xinhua News Agency August 11, 2003)