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China says key plenum will be held in October

China’s top leaders will gather in Beijing in October for their most important meeting ahead of next year’s Communist Party congress, when a major reshuffle…

By Samantha Johnson / July 30, 2026
China’s top leaders will gather in Beijing in October for their most important meeting ahead of next year’s Communist Party congress, when a major reshuffle is expected and Xi Jinping is due to begin a fourth term as leader.

After a meeting of the Politburo on Thursday, the nation’s top decision-making body said the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee would be held in October, state news agency Xinhua reported.

More than 370 full and alternate members of the Central Committee – the ruling party’s leadership body – will take part in the plenum.

It will be held about a month after the Chinese president is due to travel to the United States for a high-stakes visit.

The plenum will focus on “consistently exercising full and rigorous governance over the party”, according to Xinhua.

The Central Committee’s fourth plenary session was held in October last year. Photo: Xinhua
The Central Committee’s fourth plenary session was held in October last year. Photo: Xinhua

Over the past three decades, the plenary session held in the year before the party congress has typically addressed issues to do with ideology and party-building matters.

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