China’s Communist Party begins key meeting to discuss major revamp, government

China’s ruling Communist Party on Sunday began a key meeting to carry out a major revamp of the party and the government ahead of next month’s annual session of the Parliament.

The meeting of the Communist Party of China (CPC) plenum started its three-day plenary session in Beijing on Sunday, with President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the party, presenting a work report, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

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The Central Committee plenary session is being held ahead of the annual session of China’s Parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and the top advisory body -- the China People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) -- in the first week of March.

During the NPC’s annual session, China will unveil a new leadership, including a new premier to succeed the incumbent Li Keqiang who is retiring. Barring Xi, most of the officials at the top were expected to be replaced.

Earlier this week, the political bureau of the party discussed the draft plan for the reforms of the CPC as well as state institutions and finalised recommendations to be submitted to the Central Committee plenary for approval.

The Central Committee which was elected at the once in five-year Congress of the party held in October last year consisted of 203 members and 168 alternate members.

Xi, 69, was re-elected for an unprecedented third five-year term by the Congress.