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.
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