China's Communist Party brings forward Beidaihe closed-door policy summit

China's leaders will hold their annual policymaking meeting next week, having moved forward the informal summit due to urgent issues and a tight schedule.

Sources said the Beidaihe summit, which gathers present and retired leaders in a closed-door meeting to set the policy tone, was likely to be held earlier this year as urgent issues had emerged, such as the economic slowdown and the stock market turmoil. President Xi Jinping's scheduled visit to the United States in September was also a reason for the change.

A source said Beidaihe officials and hotel staff were gearing up for the reception in early August. Hotels set aside for officials would be cleared by this weekend, at least a week earlier than in previous years.

In previous years, meetings were held around August 10, although the authorities never formally announce the date. Observers usually watch for a time in August when all Politburo Standing Committee members shun public appearances, taking it as a sign that the meeting has begun.

Xi appeared on Wednesday to receive Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Premier Li Keqiang held a State Council meeting.

Analysts say the leaders have to come up with measures to deal with the slowing economy amid the stock market turbulence, which will complicate the government's macro policy to shore up growth. China's growth stood at 7 per cent in the second quarter, beating analysts' forecasts. But the rate was largely buoyed by an unsustainable surge in financial sector output driven by a rally in the stock market.

This year's meeting agenda will also be more packed than in previous years as the leaders are expected to discuss a slew of urgent matters.

On top of the economy and the stock market, the leaders will likely also discuss the reform of state-owned enterprises, the draft of the next five-year plan, relations with the United States and Japan, the corruption crackdown and personnel matters in preparation for a new leadership team to be installed at the 19th party congress in 2017.