The Fifth Plenum of the 14th CPC Central Committee

The Fifth Plenary Session of the 14th CPC Central Committee is held in Beijing in late September.

Chen Xitong, former secretary of the CPC Beijing municipal committee and former mayor of Beijing, was recently dismissed from the Political Bureau and Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The decision was made at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 14th CPC Central Committee which ended in Beijing on September 28.

The plenum also suggested that Chen be recalled from the National People's Congress in accordance with legal procedures.

According to the plenum communique, Chen seriously neglected his duty and was responsible for the law-breaking and criminal activities of Wang Baosen, former member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Beijing municipal committee and executive vice-mayor of Beijing. He led a dissolute, extravagant life, abused his power to seek illegal interest for relatives and accepted gifts.

It was decided that the Chen investigation will continue in view of the fact that his economic and other problems are not clear.

Meanwhile, Zhang Wannian, chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, and Chi Haotian, minister of National Defense, were promoted to the Central Military Commission of the CPC as vice-chairmen.

At the recent session, the top decision-making center examined and approved the CPC Central Committee's proposed Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) and the long-term plan for 2010.

The communique said that the plenum gave a high appraisal of the historic achievements in China's socialist modernization drive since the reforms and opening-up, especially during the Eighth Five-Year Plan period (1991-95). The task of quadrupling the 1980 gross national product by 2000 is expected to be accomplished this year.

The plenum proposed that the major objective for the national economic and social development during the 1996-2000 period is to fulfill the second-stage strategic plan for the modernization drive.

By 2000, when China's population is 300 million more than in 1980, the gross national product per capita will quadruple that of 1980; poverty will be basically eliminated; people's lives will reach a relatively comfortable standard; the establishment of the modern enterprise system will be accelerated; and the initial stage of the drive to establish socialist market economic system will be completed.

The major target for 2010 is that the GNP will be twice that of 2000, enabling an even more comfortable life for citizens.

It was decided at the plenum that it is imperative to place social development in a strategically important position.

The primary tasks for economic development in the next 15 years include optimizing industrial structure with emphasis on strengthening the primary industry, along with efforts to readjust and improve the secondary industry and actively develop the tertiary industry; widely applying advanced technology and equipment; developing science, technology and education so as to narrow the gap between science and technology in China and in the world; and ensuring a well coordinated economic development in all regions.

The establishment and improvement of the system of socialist market economy constitutes a strategic task during this period.

(NO. 42 OCTOBER 16, 1995)