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.
(10/11/2000)