Rare Communist Party reshuffle precedes China’s coming 5-year-plan talks

The large-scale reshuffle helped select leaders of both action and bravery, as China needs such leaders to tackle the economic problems and ensure a strong start during the 13th Five-Year Plan period

BEIJING: A rare reshuffle of more than a 100 top officials of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) marked the run-up to a key meeting of the party that began on Monday to chart out the country’s path for the next five years.

The fifth plenary session of CPC’s 18th Central Committee will outline the details of the 13th five-year-plan for China as Beijing tries to grapple with a slowing economy, lowest growth rates in decades and a volatile stock market.

President Xi Jinping, in his capacity of the CPC general secretary will preside over the meeting.

In the lead-up, as many as 104 members of the 205-members of the CPC Central Committee – one of the top decision-making bodies in – have either been sacked or moved from their current jobs.

“Among them, 81 were promoted to key positions, 16 were transferred to less important posts, and seven were removed ZHANG XIXIAN, party school professor

from their jobs. Some of the seven members may have their membership revoked during the fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee that runs until Thursday,” experts told the state-controlled Global Times newspaper.

The possibility of the seven members being sacked from their CC membership could not be ruled out.

If that does happen, it could be interpreted as part of Xi’s ongoing anti-graft campaign, which has so far claimed the jobs and reputation of hundreds of party and government officials.

“The large-scale reshuffle helped select leaders of both action and bravery, as China needs such leaders to tackle the economic problems and ensure a strong start during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period,” Zhang Xixian, a party school professor told the GT.

“Adhering to the rule of law, China has also intensified anticorruption efforts since the CPC’s 18th National Congress and dealt with a large number of corrupt officials, including some who used to hold very high offices,” official news agency Xinhua said in a report on the meeting.

The focus of the meeting will be on China’s economic growth – the “new normal” with slower but more balanced and sustainable economic growth.

“Chinese economic development has entered a new phase of relying on quality and innovation instead of export and investment,” said economist Chen Dongqi.