Dates set for China’s long-awaited third plenum when policy direction will be revealed

The meeting, which will last four days, will be attended by more than 370 full and alternate members of the new Central Committee.

It is also expected to endorse a wide-ranging communique that will be dissected by officials at all levels as they try to come up with ways to reach the goals set out in the document.

On April 30, Beijing announced the third plenum would be held in July after a much-discussed but unexplained delay.

Over the past four decades, the third plenums have typically been held in October or November. It is the first time since 1984 that the party has not convened one in the year following the twice-a-decade party congress. The last congress was held in the autumn of 2022, the year Xi began his third term as party general secretary.

In the past, third plenums were the key opportunity to send early policy signals to the party and the public of what the party’s priorities would be for the next five to 10 years.

Beijing offered no explanation for the delay in its April 30 statement but China has been grappling with a series of formidable challenges, including a sluggish economic recovery, intense geopolitical headwinds and ongoing personnel changes in leadership.

The gathering next month will be held just months before China celebrates the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic.

It will also be before the end of the year and therefore meet the stipulation in the party’s constitution that it hold at least one plenum a year.

Last year was the 45th anniversary of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping’s reform and opening up, and the 10th anniversary of Xi’s own series of reforms – milestones that came and went without the plenum.

In addition to signalling economic policy, the third plenary session is also the usual forum to show party solidarity and offer updates on investigations into sacked high-level officials.

Beijing has said little about what prompted the removal last year of former foreign minister Qin Gang and former defence minister Li Shangfu – both of whom are members of the Central Committee.

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Qin, China’s shortest-serving foreign minister, disappeared in June last year before being stripped of his remaining titles in the government. Li, China’s shortest-serving defence minister, has not been seen since August and has also lost all his titles.

Two others – former PLA Rocket Force commander Li Yuchao and agriculture minister Tang Renjian – have been officially placed under corruption probes but are still members of the committee.

The formal expulsion of officials from the elite body requires a formal resolution during the plenum.

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