Communiqué of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

    Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 23

    Communiqué of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China

    (Adopted at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on October 23, 2025)

    The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing from October 20 to 23, 2025.

    Attending the plenary session were 168 members of the Central Committee and 147 alternate members. Members of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and responsible comrades from relevant sectors attended as non-voting participants. Some grassroots representatives and experts from among the delegates to the 20th CPC National Congress also attended as non-voting participants.

    The plenary session was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered an important speech.

    The plenary session heard and discussed the work report delivered by Xi Jinping on behalf of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. It reviewed and adopted the “CPC Central Committee's Proposal on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development.” Xi Jinping explained the “Proposal (Discussion Draft)” to the plenary session.

    The plenary session fully affirmed the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. It unanimously agreed that the Political Bureau earnestly implemented the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and all plenary sessions of the 20th CPC Central Committee, adhered to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, fully and accurately implemented the new development philosophy, advanced the coordinated implementation of the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, promoted the coordinated advancement of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, balanced domestic and international situations, integrated development and security, further deepened reform across the board, solidly promoted high-quality development, advanced the development of socialist democracy and the rule of law, strengthened ideological and cultural work, effectively safeguarded people's livelihoods and protected the ecological environment, maintained national security and social stability, conducted in-depth education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Central Committee's eight-point decision on conduct, advanced full and rigorous Party self-governance, strengthened the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, handled Hong Kong and Macao affairs and Taiwan-related work, deepened major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and promoted sustained economic recovery and improvement. The main objectives and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan are about to be successfully completed. The solemn commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War has greatly uplifted the national spirit, ignited patriotic fervor, and galvanized the strength for struggle.

    The plenary session highly commended the major achievements made in China's development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The development journey during this period has been highly unusual and extraordinary. Facing a complex international landscape and arduous domestic tasks of reform, development, and stability, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core united and led the entire Party and people of all ethnic groups across the country to overcome difficulties and forge ahead. We withstood the severe impact of the pandemic of the century, effectively responded to a series of major risks and challenges, and propelled the Party and the country to achieve new major accomplishments. China's economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, and comprehensive national power have reached new heights. Chinese-style modernization has taken new, solid strides forward, and the new journey toward the second centenary goal has gotten off to a good start.

    The plenary session pointed out that achieving socialist modernization is a historical process of step-by-step advancement and continuous progress, requiring unremitting efforts and sustained struggle. The 15th Five-Year Plan period is a crucial phase for laying a solid foundation and making comprehensive efforts toward basically achieving socialist modernization, holding an important position in bridging the past and future in this process. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China's development environment will face profound and complex changes. The country is in a period where strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, with increasing uncertainties and unforeseeable factors. China's economic foundation remains solid, its advantages are numerous, its resilience is strong, and its potential is vast. The fundamental conditions and long-term positive trends supporting its development remain unchanged. The institutional advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics, the advantages of its super-large market, its complete industrial system, and its abundant talent resources are becoming increasingly prominent. The entire Party must deeply grasp the decisive significance of the “Two Establishments,” enhance the “Four Consciousnesses,” strengthen the “Four Confidences,” and achieve the “Two Upholds.” We must maintain strategic resolve, bolster our confidence in victory, actively recognize, adapt to, and seek change, dare to struggle and be adept at struggle, and courageously confront major tests—whether they be high winds and rough seas or even raging storms. With a spirit of historical initiative, we must overcome difficulties, battle risks, and meet challenges. We must concentrate our efforts on managing our own affairs, continue to write new chapters in the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, and strive to open up new prospects for building modernization with Chinese characteristics.

    The plenary session emphasized that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, economic and social development must adhere to Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents, the Scientific Outlook on Development, and Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It must thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th CPC National Congress and all plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee. Centered on building a modern socialist country in all respects and realizing the second centenary goal, it must advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization. It must coordinate the overall layout of the five-sphere integrated development, promote the coordinated advancement of the four-pronged comprehensive strategy, and integrate domestic and international situations. It must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the formation of a new development paradigm, We will adhere to the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability, keep economic development as the central task, take promoting high-quality development as the theme, regard reform and innovation as the fundamental driving force, aim to meet the people's ever-growing needs for a better life as the fundamental purpose, and rely on exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance as the fundamental guarantee. We will strive to achieve effective improvement in the quality and reasonable growth in the quantity of the economy, make solid strides in promoting the all-round development of individuals and common prosperity for all the people, and ensure decisive progress in basically realizing socialist modernization.

    The plenary session pointed out that economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period must adhere to the following principles: upholding the Party's overall leadership, putting people first, pursuing high-quality development, deepening reform across the board, combining an effective market with an active government, and coordinating development with security.

    The plenary session outlined the primary objectives for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period: achieving significant results in high-quality development; substantially enhancing self-reliance and strength in science and technology; making new breakthroughs in further deepening reform across the board; markedly raising the level of social civilization; continuously improving the quality of people's lives; making new and major progress in building a Beautiful China; and further consolidating the national security barrier. Building on this foundation, after another five years of hard work, by 2035 China will achieve a substantial leap in its economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, national defense capabilities, comprehensive national strength, and international influence. Per capita GDP will reach the level of moderately developed countries, people's lives will be more prosperous and fulfilling, and socialist modernization will be basically realized.

    The Plenary Session proposed building a modern industrial system and consolidating and strengthening the foundation of the real economy. We will focus our efforts on developing the real economy, adhere to the direction of intelligent, green, and integrated development, accelerate the building of a manufacturing powerhouse, a quality powerhouse, a space powerhouse, a transportation powerhouse, and a cyber powerhouse, maintain a reasonable proportion of manufacturing, and build a modern industrial system with advanced manufacturing as its backbone. We will optimize and upgrade traditional industries, foster and strengthen emerging and future industries, promote high-quality and efficient development of the service sector, and build a modern infrastructure system.

    The plenary session proposed accelerating high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology to lead the development of new productive forces. Seizing the historic opportunities presented by the new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, we will coordinate the development of a strong nation in education, science and technology, and talent, enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system, comprehensively strengthen independent innovation capabilities, seize the high ground in scientific and technological development, and continuously foster new productive forces. We must strengthen original innovation and tackle key core technologies, promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation with industrial innovation, advance the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent, and deepen the construction of a Digital China.

    The plenary session proposed building a strong domestic market and accelerating the formation of a new development paradigm. We must adhere to the strategic focus of expanding domestic demand, closely integrate improving people's livelihoods with boosting consumption and investment in both physical assets and human capital, let new demand lead new supply, and let new supply create new demand. This will promote a virtuous cycle between consumption and investment, supply and demand, and enhance the endogenous momentum and reliability of the domestic economic cycle. We must vigorously boost consumption, expand effective investment, and resolutely remove bottlenecks and obstacles hindering the development of a unified national market.

    The plenary session proposed accelerating the development of a high-level socialist market economy system to enhance the momentum for high-quality development. We must uphold and improve the basic socialist economic system, better leverage the driving role of economic reform, refine the macroeconomic governance system, and ensure steady and sustained progress toward high-quality development. We must fully unleash the vitality of all types of business entities, accelerate the improvement of mechanisms for the market-based allocation of factors, and enhance the effectiveness of macroeconomic governance.

    The plenary session proposed expanding high-level opening up to create a new landscape of win-win cooperation. Steady progress should be made in institutional opening up, upholding the multilateral trading system, and expanding international circulation. Opening up should drive reform and development, sharing opportunities and pursuing common development with all countries. Efforts should be made to actively expand self-driven opening up, promote innovative development in trade, expand space for two-way investment cooperation, and jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality.

    The plenary session proposed accelerating the modernization of agriculture and rural areas and steadily advancing the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside. We must persist in prioritizing the resolution of issues concerning agriculture, rural areas, and farmers as the most important task for the entire Party, promote integrated urban-rural development, continuously consolidate and expand the achievements in poverty alleviation, advance the provision of basic modern living conditions in rural areas, and accelerate the building of a strong agricultural nation. We must enhance the comprehensive production capacity, quality, and efficiency of agriculture, advance the construction of beautiful and livable villages conducive to both residence and business, and improve the effectiveness of policies that strengthen, benefit, and enrich agriculture and farmers.

    The plenary session proposed optimizing regional economic layout and promoting coordinated regional development. It called for leveraging the synergistic effects of regional coordination strategies, major regional strategies, main functional zone strategies, and new urbanization strategies to optimize the layout of major productive forces, harness the growth poles of key regions, and build a regional economic layout and territorial spatial system characterized by complementary advantages and high-quality development. It emphasized enhancing the coordination of regional development, promoting regional linkage, optimizing the territorial spatial development pattern, deepening people-centered new urbanization, and strengthening the development, utilization, and protection of the oceans.

    The plenary session proposed stimulating the cultural innovation and creativity of the entire nation and promoting the prosperity and development of socialist culture. It emphasized upholding the guiding role of Marxism in the ideological sphere, drawing on the profound and extensive Chinese civilization, and adapting to the trends of information technology development. The goal is to develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics for a new era that possesses strong ideological guidance, spiritual cohesion, value appeal, and international influence, and to steadily advance the building of a cultural powerhouse. We must promote and practice the core socialist values, vigorously develop cultural undertakings, accelerate the growth of cultural industries, and enhance the dissemination and influence of Chinese civilization.

    The plenary session proposed intensifying efforts to safeguard and improve people's livelihoods and steadily advance common prosperity for all. We must strive to do our utmost within our means, strengthen inclusive, foundational, and safety-net social services, address the urgent concerns and difficulties of the people, facilitate social mobility, and improve the quality of life for the people. We must promote high-quality and full employment, improve the income distribution system, deliver education that satisfies the people, enhance the social security system, advance high-quality development in the real estate sector, accelerate the building of a Healthy China, promote high-quality population development, and steadily advance the equalization of basic public services.

    The plenary session proposed accelerating the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development and building a Beautiful China. We must firmly uphold and practice the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” Guided by the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, we will synergistically advance carbon reduction, pollution control, ecological expansion, and economic growth. We will fortify ecological security barriers and enhance the momentum of green development. We will persistently deepen the battle against pollution and optimize ecosystems, accelerate the development of a new energy system, actively and steadily advance and achieve carbon peaking, and expedite the formation of green production and lifestyles.

    The plenary session proposed advancing the modernization of the national security system and capabilities to build a safer China at a higher level. We must unswervingly implement the overall national security outlook, follow the path of social governance with Chinese characteristics, and ensure a society that is both vibrant and orderly. We should improve the national security system, strengthen national security capabilities in key areas, enhance public safety governance, and refine the social governance system.

    The plenary session proposed achieving the centenary goal of building a modern military on schedule and advancing the modernization of national defense and the armed forces with high quality. We will implement Xi Jinping Thought on Strengthening the Military, follow the military strategy for the new era, uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces, implement the system of the Central Military Commission chairman's responsibility, and advance the modernization of national defense and the armed forces in accordance with the new three-step strategy. We will promote the building of the military through political guidance, reform, science and technology, talent development, and law-based governance, while simultaneously engaging in struggle, preparing for war, and advancing development. We will accelerate the integrated development of mechanization, informatization, and intelligentization, and enhance our strategic capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. We must accelerate the development of advanced combat capabilities, advance the modernization of military governance, and consolidate and enhance the integrated national strategic system and capabilities.

    The plenary session emphasized that the entire Party and all ethnic groups across the country should unite and strive to achieve the objectives of the 15th Five-Year Plan. We must uphold the Party's self-revolution to lead social revolution, persistently advance full and rigorous Party self-governance, enhance the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal, and improve the Party's capacity and level of leadership in economic and social development, thereby gathering tremendous strength to advance Chinese modernization. We must uphold and strengthen the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, advance the development of socialist democracy and the rule of law, and fully mobilize the enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity of the entire society in building Chinese modernization. We will promote the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macao, advance the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and the cause of national reunification, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

    The plenary session pointed out that studying and implementing the spirit of the plenary session is a major political task for the entire Party and the whole country at present and for the period ahead. We must organize the study, interpretation, and publicity of the spirit of the plenary session through various means, enabling the entire Party and society to grasp its essence. We must earnestly implement the spirit of the plenary session, unswervingly advance high-quality development, accelerate the formation of a new development paradigm, take solid steps toward common prosperity for all people, better balance development and security, coordinate economic construction with work in all areas, and lay a solid foundation for basically achieving socialist modernization.

    The plenary session emphasized that governing the country requires first governing the Party, and only when the Party thrives can the nation be strong. The more effective the Party's governance and self-discipline, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development. We must persistently advance full and rigorous Party self-governance with the tenacity and dedication of a journey that never ends. We must resolutely implement the requirements of the Party's self-revolution, promote the normalization and long-term effectiveness of Party conduct building, and unwaveringly carry out the fight against corruption. This will provide a strong guarantee for achieving the economic and social development goals for the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

    The plenary session analyzed the current situation and tasks, emphasizing the resolute achievement of the annual economic and social development goals. We must continue to implement the decisions and plans of the Party Central Committee with precision, focusing on stabilizing employment, enterprises, markets, and expectations to maintain the fundamentals of the economy and consolidate and expand the upward momentum of economic recovery. Macroeconomic policies should continue to exert force and be strengthened as appropriate, implementing policies to support enterprises, deepening the implementation of special actions to boost consumption, ensuring the bottom line of basic public services, basic wages, and basic living expenses at the grassroots level, and actively and prudently resolving local government debt risks.

    The plenary session emphasized the need to effectively safeguard people's livelihoods by tapping into potential through multiple channels, strengthening efforts to stabilize jobs and promote employment, ensuring stable employment for key groups, intensifying efforts to address wage arrears, enhancing basic public services, and resolving the urgent and pressing concerns of the people. Efforts must be made to effectively carry out post-disaster recovery and reconstruction, resettlement of affected people, and livelihood support, ensuring that disaster victims have a warm winter.

    The plenary session stressed the need to ensure production safety and maintain stability. Responsibilities for production safety must be strictly enforced, regulatory systems rigorously implemented, and major accidents resolutely prevented and curbed. Full-chain oversight of food and drug safety must be strengthened. Efforts to identify and resolve conflicts and disputes must be deepened, overall social security prevention and control enhanced, and all forms of illegal and criminal activities combated according to law. Public opinion guidance must be strengthened to effectively prevent and mitigate ideological risks.

    The plenary session decided to add Zhang Shengmin as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of China.

    In accordance with the Party Constitution, the plenary session decided to replace alternate members Yu Huiwen, Ma Hancheng, Wang Jian, Wang Xi, Wang Yonghong, Wang Tingkai, Wang Xinwei, Wei Tao, Deng Yiwu, Deng Xiuming, and Lu Hong as full members of the Central Committee.

    The Plenary Session reviewed and adopted the review report by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China on the serious disciplinary violations and illegal activities of Tang Renjian, Jin Xiangjun, Li Shisong, Yang Fasen, and Zhu Zhisong.