https://www.scmp.com/rss/328312/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang China’s official media has released a series of guidelines for would-be civil servants, warning them to dress modestly. Candidates were told they should wear “light and elegant” suits, and men were advised to get a haircut. Women were told to have clean nails, avoid jewellery, complicated make-up and make sure their hair did not cover their ears or eyes. Competition for civil service jobs – traditionally seen as an “iron rice bowl” because of the security they offer – has intensified in recent... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351411/could-hair-or-cosmetics-be-make-or-break-factors-chinas-would-be-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351411/could-hair-or-cosmetics-be-make-or-break-factors-chinas-would-be-civil-servants?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 07:35:17 +0000 Alcott Wei,Xinlu Liang Alcott Wei,Xinlu Liang A senior Chinese official who oversees religious and ethnic minority affairs has called for China to “strengthen” the education, training and management of Tibetan Buddhist personnel. Li Ganjie, head of the Communist Party’s United Front Work Department and a member of the now 22-man Politburo, made the call during a trip to Tibetan areas in western China, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday. He visited several religious organisations and study institutions in the Tibetan autonomous... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351181/china-must-strengthen-education-tibetan-buddhists-beijing-official-says-after-tour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3351181/china-must-strengthen-education-tibetan-buddhists-beijing-official-says-after-tour?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:11 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen TV drama regulators in China have taken aim at beauty-obsessed and traffic-driven programming in the industry, with a call for more “quality” storytelling. The National Radio and Television Administration’s drama department sent out the call on Thursday as it brought major streaming platforms and production companies together for a conference on “healthy aesthetics”. “[Efforts should be made] to avoid the tendency to value physical beauty above everything else and reliance on traffic-driven... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349085/are-chinas-tv-dramas-obsessed-beauty-industry-regulator-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3349085/are-chinas-tv-dramas-obsessed-beauty-industry-regulator-thinks-so?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:00:13 +0000 Xinlu Liang Xinlu Liang A senior Chinese financial regulator and former graft fighter has been placed under investigation for corruption, officials announced on Tuesday, marking one of the highest-profile purges among China’s financial regulatory apparatus in recent years. Zhou Liang, vice-chairman of the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), is under investigation for “serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption, bribery and abuse of power, according to an announcement by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347731/senior-chinese-financial-regulator-and-ex-graft-fighter-zhou-liang-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3347731/senior-chinese-financial-regulator-and-ex-graft-fighter-zhou-liang-under-corruption-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:58:44 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok This year’s government work report delivered by Premier Li Qiang marks a shift from the perennial fixation with growth towards a greater emphasis on effective strategic development, especially social and people-centred outcomes. The “two sessions” have convened against the backdrop of Washington’s military adventure overseas. In contrast to that overextended empire, China will prevail in the competition with the United States by putting its own house in order. Some of the most consequential... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346047/chinas-refocusing-social-goals-requires-more-new-metrics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3346047/chinas-refocusing-social-goals-requires-more-new-metrics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Wang Xiangwei Wang Xiangwei As China’s leaders convene for the annual “two sessions” starting this week, the eyes of the world will be fixed on Beijing. This gathering is no ordinary policy meeting. Beyond setting the economic growth target for 2026, it will finalise the 15th five-year plan (2026–2030), a blueprint that will define the nation’s economic and social priorities for the second half of this decade. In an era of intensifying great-power competition, particularly with the United States, these decisions will shape... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344883/now-time-china-show-its-serious-about-opening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344883/now-time-china-show-its-serious-about-opening?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Sylvie Zhuang,William Zheng Beijing has quietly tightened restrictions on officials with family members overseas in the past year as part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive, according to sources. Three people familiar with the situation said inspections had been carried out since early last year within government bodies and state-owned enterprises to scrutinise the overseas connections of top officials and executives. In the past, such inspections have sought to identify “naked officials” – those whose spouses and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343893/china-widens-anti-corruption-net-catch-quasi-naked-officials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3343893/china-widens-anti-corruption-net-catch-quasi-naked-officials?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China’s anti-corruption watchdogs have again put cadres on notice, ordering tighter discipline and greater scrutiny of Communist Party officials in the countdown to next year’s leadership reshuffle. Among the fresh warnings on Thursday was a caution against associating with “political swindlers”, people who fraudulently claim to have links to senior officials so they can peddle promotions for cash. The orders were issued jointly by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343527/beware-political-swindlers-chinas-cadres-warned-ahead-leadership-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3343527/beware-political-swindlers-chinas-cadres-warned-ahead-leadership-change?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 12:10:31 +0000 Li Cheng,Tony Xiuye Zhao Li Cheng,Tony Xiuye Zhao The perpetual question of “who governs” finds stark expression in today’s US-China rivalry. As the two powers compete, the contrast between governance-by-technocrats in China and the predominance of lawyers in the United States is shaping each country’s respective development path. China is set to approve its 15th five-year plan, which will set development goals and strategies through 2030. It prioritises critical technological breakthroughs and industrial integration. Meanwhile, in the Trump... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343150/how-washingtons-lawyers-stack-against-beijings-technocrats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343150/how-washingtons-lawyers-stack-against-beijings-technocrats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun A senior executive at one of China’s major policy banks has been placed under investigation, becoming the latest target in a sweeping official anti-corruption drive across the financial sector. Xu Yiding, vice-president of the Agricultural Development Bank of China (ADBC) and member of its Communist Party committee, is suspected of “serious violations of party discipline and the law”, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission. The two... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342816/farmers-son-banker-xu-yiding-under-investigation-chinas-anti-corruption-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342816/farmers-son-banker-xu-yiding-under-investigation-chinas-anti-corruption-watchdog?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 15:00:14 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China has removed three senior defence industry executives, including a nuclear weapons expert, from the national legislature as part of a deepening anti-corruption campaign. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday said it had expelled Liu Cangli, former president of the China Academy of Engineering Physics, Luo Qi, chief engineer of the China National Nuclear Corporation, and Zhou Xinmin, former chairman of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. It did not say... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342411/china-expels-defence-industry-officials-legislature-amid-corruption-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3342411/china-expels-defence-industry-officials-legislature-amid-corruption-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 13:49:39 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is tightening approvals for intercity railways and urban metro projects – long-standing pillars of fixed-asset investment – as policymakers pay closer attention to debt risks while shifting the growth model towards consumption. The move comes as President Xi Jinping has specifically flagged operational strains at some high-speed rail stations and subway lines – a sign that the old growth driver may be further curtailed in the coming years. According to an online statement on Sunday by the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341412/china-tightens-rail-approvals-xi-warns-overbuilding-waste-and-operational-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341412/china-tightens-rail-approvals-xi-warns-overbuilding-waste-and-operational-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Chinese state media have warned the Communist Party to be vigilant against officials who “do nothing but wait for a power transition” – a clear reference to next year’s national party congress. The China Organisation and Personnel News, affiliated with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, published a commentary on Friday titled “Preventing Officials from Sitting Around and Doing Nothing but Waiting for a Power Transition”. It cited a communique issued after the fifth plenary... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341249/china-warns-against-do-nothing-officials-ahead-2027-leadership-reshuffle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3341249/china-warns-against-do-nothing-officials-ahead-2027-leadership-reshuffle?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:28:43 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen President Xi Jinping has ordered a thorough implementation of central government strategies and policies at local levels, as the world’s second-largest economy rallies efforts to achieve a strong start to its five-year plan amid formidable external challenges and domestic headwinds. The instruction on Tuesday arrived at a delicate time, as Beijing enforces some overriding strategies, such as a whole-of-nation approach to break technological bottlenecks, a campaign to fight vicious price... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340602/chinas-xi-pushes-holistic-execution-local-cadres-5-year-plan-warns-disparity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3340602/chinas-xi-pushes-holistic-execution-local-cadres-5-year-plan-warns-disparity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:18:57 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Chinese President Xi Jinping has said there must be no room for corrupt elements to hide as he warned that the problem was a threat to the country’s development. On Monday, he told a plenary session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) – China’s top anti-corruption body – that the country had made notable progress last year, but the issue remained a “major struggle”. “Corruption is a stumbling block and obstacle to the development of the [Communist] party and the country,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339639/chinas-fight-against-corruption-battle-we-cant-afford-lose-xi-jinping-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3339639/chinas-fight-against-corruption-battle-we-cant-afford-lose-xi-jinping-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 13:49:27 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Alice Li Sylvia Ma,Alice Li A mouthpiece for China’s ruling Communist Party has warned against conflicting economic measures, urging officials to better guide market expectations in a front-page commentary highlighting Beijing’s growing focus on policy coordination. “The more policies there are, the greater the risk they will be working at odds,” the People’s Daily editorial said on Friday, pointing to China’s increasingly complex economic environment, “with more and more policy dilemmas emerging and greater demands on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339364/china-cautions-against-compound-errors-clashing-policies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3339364/china-cautions-against-compound-errors-clashing-policies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 12:30:18 +0000 Wang Xiangwei Wang Xiangwei As 2026 dawns, China has signalled a renewed crusade: persuading its citizens to spend more, for their own benefit and for the country’s. Yet history offers a cautionary tale. China’s leaders have long harboured an ambivalent relationship with consumption as a growth engine, instead favouring production and investment. This time, though, the signals suggest a deeper resolve. The gravity of this pivot is underscored by Qiushi, the Communist Party’s flagship publication, which last month published... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338496/why-china-still-struggling-invest-people?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338496/why-china-still-struggling-invest-people?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Wang Huiyao Wang Huiyao Few developments over the past quarter century have been as consequential or widely debated as China’s ascent to global prominence as the vanguard of a rising Global South. To understand this change, we must look not only at outcomes but at the underlying drivers that made them possible. China’s development over the last 25 years did not occur by accident. It was not the result of any single policy. Rather, it was the cumulative product of farsighted design and vision as well as an evolving... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338103/key-lessons-chinas-ascent-over-past-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3338103/key-lessons-chinas-ascent-over-past-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Tetsuzo Fuwa, a former chairman of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) who was considered its “theoretical pillar”, died on Tuesday, according to party sources. He was 95. Fuwa, whose real name was Kenjiro Ueda, joined the JCP in 1947 when he was a high school student and served as the director of the party think tank, the Social Sciences Institute, after stepping down as chairman in January 2006. He quit his post as the party’s top executive due to old age. The Tokyo native worked as a secretary... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338167/tetsuzo-fuwa-ex-japanese-communist-party-chairman-dies-95?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338167/tetsuzo-fuwa-ex-japanese-communist-party-chairman-dies-95?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 10:18:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s ruling Communist Party has vowed to keep up efforts to fight corruption next year after a record 63 high-ranking officials – known as “tigers” – were placed under investigation on suspicion of graft in 2025. During a meeting on Thursday, top decision-making body the Politburo also discussed a plan to improve conduct within the party, strengthen integrity and combat graft, official news agency Xinhua reported. It said officials at the meeting had agreed to “resolutely push forward the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337759/china-vows-keep-fight-after-record-number-tigers-caught-corruption-net?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3337759/china-vows-keep-fight-after-record-number-tigers-caught-corruption-net?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 04:00:12 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang The People’s Liberation Army has made a rare public appeal for tip-offs about procurement problems in its air force, as Beijing presses ahead with its anti-corruption campaign in the military. The announcement was posted on Monday on the PLA’s official procurement website – the main bid information platform for suppliers – seeking information about “irregular” procurement activities organised by air force units. It is the first time such a request has been made about a specific branch of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336804/chinas-military-calls-tip-offs-it-targets-corruption-air-force-procurement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336804/chinas-military-calls-tip-offs-it-targets-corruption-air-force-procurement?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 02:00:09 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng The mainland Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command, the corruption-hit division that oversees Taiwan, appears to be headed by two recent additions to the command. The appointments will enable the command to maintain continuity of operations despite the corruption cases among its leadership, according to an analyst. PLA Air Force Lieutenant General Yang Zhibin, 62, and Lieutenant General Zhang Jichun, 57, stood alongside other senior officials at mainland China’s annual commemoration of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336778/pla-division-overseeing-taiwan-sees-newcomers-charge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336778/pla-division-overseeing-taiwan-sees-newcomers-charge?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 09:49:35 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng China’s official media has called on disciplinary watchdogs to stop giving low-level officials insulting nicknames that imply they are not doing their jobs properly. The provincial publicity department of the eastern province of Zhejiang became the latest to weigh in on this issue this week. In a commentary posted on its official social media account on Tuesday, it warned that this approach was likely to backfire. It criticised the use of labels such as “refrigerator” officials to describe those... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335383/chinas-official-media-calls-end-name-and-shame-campaign-against-grass-roots-cadres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335383/chinas-official-media-calls-end-name-and-shame-campaign-against-grass-roots-cadres?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Dec 2025 02:00:10 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang Records of minor offences will be sealed under a new regulation rather than linked to a person’s identity information – a move that is proving unpopular among the public though it has been welcomed by legal experts. The new rule is part of the amended Public Security Administration Punishments Law, which was introduced in 2006 and includes minor offences such as drug use, soliciting prostitutes and minor brawls. National People’s Congress lawmakers approved the revision in June and it will take... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335001/chinas-move-seal-records-minor-offences-drug-use-sparks-public-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335001/chinas-move-seal-records-minor-offences-drug-use-sparks-public-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:01:53 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China will use new technology, especially artificial intelligence, to guard against Western influence and reinforce its own ideology, according to state media. At a study session of the Politburo, the Communist Party’s top decision-making body, on Friday, President Xi Jinping said new technologies such as AI and big data posed challenges to cyberspace governance but they also presented opportunities. According to state news agency Xinhua, Xi called for efforts to develop new information... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334934/china-looks-ai-and-big-data-guard-against-western-values?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334934/china-looks-ai-and-big-data-guard-against-western-values?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 12:00:23 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Another senior official in Xinjiang has been placed under investigation amid Beijing’s vow to resolutely “eradicate the soil for corruption”. Chen Weijun, executive vice-chairman of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, was “under disciplinary review and supervisory investigation” for suspected “serious violations of discipline and law”, China’s top anti-graft agency said on Sunday, referencing a euphemism for corruption. The announcement from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI)... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334793/no-soil-corruption-chen-weijun-joins-list-senior-xinjiang-officials-investigated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334793/no-soil-corruption-chen-weijun-joins-list-senior-xinjiang-officials-investigated?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:25:10 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang Corrupt local officials in China are manipulating collective decision-making procedures for personal gain and to mask their activities, state media has warned. A report published on Wednesday highlighted examples of behind-the-scenes manipulation where subordinates were told how to vote in advance, and of collusion between corrupt officials or sham public consultations. “In recent years, to standardise collective decision-making, systematic procedures and requirements were introduced in many... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334189/corrupt-chinese-officials-hold-sham-votes-approve-projects-state-media-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334189/corrupt-chinese-officials-hold-sham-votes-approve-projects-state-media-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Nov 2025 02:00:16 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun The most important outcome of the Communist Party of China’s fourth plenum, held last month in Beijing, was the review and adoption of the “Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee on Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development”. Leading the drafting team in person, Communist Party General Secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping played a decisive role in formulating the recommendations by setting the overall vision and providing guidance throughout the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332731/15th-five-year-plan-charts-course-chinas-modernisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332731/15th-five-year-plan-charts-course-chinas-modernisation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:30:09 +0000 Dominik Mierzejewski Dominik Mierzejewski In the aftermath of the recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, many interpretations have emerged. However, one crucial dimension has been overlooked: the way in which Xi’s domestic priorities influence his foreign policy agenda. The de-escalation of trade tensions between China and the United States goes beyond fentanyl, rare earth elements, the chip war and Beijing’s purchase of US soybeans. It constitutes one of the key elements of internal... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332195/chinas-diplomatic-gains-us-are-political-insurance-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332195/chinas-diplomatic-gains-us-are-political-insurance-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen A recent furore over the future of a popular independent bookstore has shone a fresh spotlight on concerns that the space for public debates and cultural events in China is shrinking. The announcement that the You Xing Bookstore in Chengdu – a venue that had hosted a number of events featuring prominent Chinese and foreign speakers – would shut later this month followed the closure of a number of other bookshops as well as cancelled cultural events and film screenings across the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3332045/how-fight-chinese-bookstores-future-heightened-concerns-over-cultural-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3332045/how-fight-chinese-bookstores-future-heightened-concerns-over-cultural-squeeze?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 04:00:16 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei Beijing expelled a former senior official with an aerospace background and a military auditor from the top national legislature on Tuesday amid its deepening anti-corruption drive. The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress said on Tuesday that five officials had been removed from their NPC duties. The most senior of them is Xu Dazhe, former Communist Party secretary of Hunan province. The NPC did not say if he was under investigation for corruption but Xu, who left the party... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330743/china-expels-former-aerospace-boss-and-military-auditor-top-legislature-and-others?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330743/china-expels-former-aerospace-boss-and-military-auditor-top-legislature-and-others?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 07:06:15 +0000 Raymond Ma Raymond Ma The proposal for China’s 15th five-year plan, covering the years 2026-30, stresses industrial modernisation, technological self-sufficiency and the development of the domestic market. The full text was released in Chinese by Xinhua. Following is a translation made using Alibaba’s Qwen3 artificial intelligence tool. It has been reviewed by a Post journalist for accuracy. It is not the official English version. 15th FYP Full Text (1) by scmp https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330624/chinas-five-year-plan-proposal-english-translation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330624/chinas-five-year-plan-proposal-english-translation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:17:57 +0000 Stephen Roach Stephen Roach The Chinese planning season is in full swing. Ahead of the formal release of the 15th five-year plan (running from 2026 to 2030) next March, early signs coming out of the just-completed fourth plenum of the Communist Party suggest that it will be more of the same: a focus on continuing China’s extraordinary industrial and technological ascendancy, driven by what President Xi Jinping has called “new productive forces”. That would be a mistake in the following sense: China’s techno-industrial... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330572/time-china-set-explicit-household-consumption-target?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330572/time-china-set-explicit-household-consumption-target?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Ningrong Liu Ningrong Liu China’s 15th five-year plan is more than a policy blueprint; it is a pivotal turning point. This plan and the next one will define an era of innovation-led growth, solidifying China’s status as a major power and peer competitor to the United States. Since the reform and opening-up policy was launched, China’s economic development has had distinct phases. The 1978-1992 period marked the initial stage of opening up. Reform and opening-up was imperative in the wake of economic challenges after the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330435/chinas-transition-global-powerhouse-hinges-more-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330435/chinas-transition-global-powerhouse-hinges-more-innovation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Chinese President Xi Jinping put his personal stamp on the national master plan for the next five years, with state media describing the plan’s framework as Xi’s brainchild – an indication of the document’s political weight. In a lengthy article on Saturday detailing some of the build-up to the Communist Party’s fourth plenum this week, state news agency Xinhua and party mouthpiece People’s Daily said Xi “personally headed” the team that drafted the outline for the next five-year plan. “[He]... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330329/chinese-president-xi-jinping-puts-personal-stamp-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3330329/chinese-president-xi-jinping-puts-personal-stamp-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Oct 2025 14:20:04 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow The first outline of China’s next five-year plan showed a renewed determination to develop technological self-sufficiency and little optimism about easing global trade tensions. “We should achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology,” said a communique released on Thursday following a four-day meeting of the Communist Party’s Central Committee. The statement also highlighted efforts to boost domestic consumption and “eliminate bottlenecks” hindering the creation of a... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330196/five-year-plan-trump-xi-meeting-apec-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330196/five-year-plan-trump-xi-meeting-apec-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 09:00:08 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. After China’s ruling Communist Party concluded the fourth plenum of its powerful Central Committee on Thursday, a press conference was held on Friday morning to review the events of the conclave and the committee’s conclusions. Among those who attended the briefing were the head of the country’s top economic planner, the minister of commerce, the minister... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3330134/chinas-communist-party-meets-press-after-fourth-plenum-wraps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3330134/chinas-communist-party-meets-press-after-fourth-plenum-wraps?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 01:50:18 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The fourth plenum of the Communist Party’s Central Committee has signed off on China’s 15th five-year plan charting the country’s social and economic future, with a pledge to pursue high-quality development and “substantially improve” its capacity for technological self-reliance and innovation. The draft now goes to the “two sessions” of China’s parliament for approval. The 376 full and alternate members of the committee discussed proposals across a broad swathe of areas, from the economy to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3330042/five-year-plan-offers-hope-stability-amid-global-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3330042/five-year-plan-offers-hope-stability-amid-global-uncertainty?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 22:45:08 +0000 Sylvia Ma,Mandy Zuo,Yuanyue Dang Sylvia Ma,Mandy Zuo,Yuanyue Dang After a meeting of China’s political leadership setting the tone for policymaking over the next five years, warnings of “raging storms” and growing uncertainties joined declarations of confidence in the nation’s economic resilience, as Beijing vowed to make “notable progress” in the pursuit of development and to maintain its status as a manufacturing powerhouse. In a communique issued following the conclusion of the fourth plenum on Thursday, the ruling Communist Party’s Central Committee called... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330062/china-pledges-notable-progress-fourth-plenum-concludes-5-year-road-map?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330062/china-pledges-notable-progress-fourth-plenum-concludes-5-year-road-map?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:09:34 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As China prepares to unveil its next five-year plan on Thursday, the mouthpiece of the country’s ruling Communist Party has styled the nation’s socialist system as a source of strength that powers the development of the vast Chinese economy and provides stability to the global economy. In an editorial published on Thursday morning, People’s Daily said that China’s five-year plans provided clear direction and predictability amid global uncertainty, with the country estimated to have contributed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330018/chinas-fourth-plenum-wraps-editorial-hails-system-anchor-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3330018/chinas-fourth-plenum-wraps-editorial-hails-system-anchor-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 05:01:01 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s ruling Communist Party kicked off a key four-day conclave on Monday that will determine the country’s development over the next five years. The fourth plenum of the party’s Central Committee began on Monday morning, according to state news agency Xinhua. Party General Secretary Xi Jinping, who is also the nation’s president, delivered a work report to the meeting and outlined the party’s proposals for the next five-year plan, which will be submitted for deliberation, a brief report said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3329656/chinas-communist-party-kicks-fourth-plenum-amid-tightened-security-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3329656/chinas-communist-party-kicks-fourth-plenum-amid-tightened-security-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 07:30:36 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang,Liu Zhen Yuanyue Dang,Amber Wang,Liu Zhen China’s second-ranked military general has become the latest PLA top brass to fall from grace, with the defence ministry announcing that he was under investigation and had been dismissed from service and the party. He Weidong, vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and a member of the 24-man Politburo, was expelled from the Communist Party and the armed forces, China’s Ministry of National Defence announced on Friday. The CMC, chaired by President Xi Jinping, sits at the apex of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329429/chinas-no-2-general-he-weidong-expelled-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329429/chinas-no-2-general-he-weidong-expelled-communist-party?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 09:37:41 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang A controversial plan by police in a northern Chinese city to build a crime-fighting tool using blood samples from men has sparked a debate over privacy rights. Police in Xilinhot in Inner Mongolia announced last month that they would start collecting DNA samples to update a data bank for identification information used for such items as ID cards and passports, according to a report by China Newsweek magazine. The police also said at the time that the samples would help in “preventing elderly and... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3329140/why-police-plan-dna-data-bank-china-has-sparked-privacy-worries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3329140/why-police-plan-dna-data-bank-china-has-sparked-privacy-worries?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China’s secrecy authorities have warned staff in propaganda departments and classified units to better protect confidential information, citing several leaks of state secrets by news media. A social media account affiliated with the National Administration of State Secrets Protection, urged relevant departments in an article on Friday to bolster their confidentiality reviews to prevent leaks in media interviews. As websites and social media platforms of various departments were important outlets... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328690/china-warns-propaganda-staff-and-classified-units-stop-media-leaks-state-secrets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3328690/china-warns-propaganda-staff-and-classified-units-stop-media-leaks-state-secrets?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 13:00:19 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The Politburo has set the date for the fourth plenum, which will roll out China’s 15th five-year plan to meet its social and economic goals from 2026 to 2030. The Communist Party’s annual conclave will be held from October 20 to 23 in Beijing. The times have changed since China rolled out the 14th five-year plan, when it was fighting a trade war with the United States on one hand and the Covid-19 pandemic and economic contraction on the other. But the country once again faces a crossroads, amid... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3327356/china-drafts-another-five-year-plan-it-must-brace-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3327356/china-drafts-another-five-year-plan-it-must-brace-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 22:45:08 +0000 SCMP Reporter SCMP Reporter Liu Haixing, a veteran diplomat specialising in European affairs, has been appointed as the head of the International Department, the Communist Party’s diplomatic arm. He replaces Liu Jianchao, who has not been seen in public since late July amid speculation he could be facing a disciplinary investigation. Sources said the diplomat was detained shortly after returning from a trip to Algeria. Liu Haixing, 62, has served in a variety of diplomatic roles over the past three decades and has been... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327422/veteran-chinese-diplomat-liu-haixing-head-partys-international-liaison-department?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327422/veteran-chinese-diplomat-liu-haixing-head-partys-international-liaison-department?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 12:00:51 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for further enactment of law and regulation, as well as stricter law enforcement, in religious affairs in a push to Sinicise religions in the country, according to state media. Xi made the remark on Monday while presiding over a group study session of the ruling Communist Party’s Politburo. “Governing religious affairs in accordance with the law is the fundamental way to properly handle various contradictions and problems in the religious field,” he said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327362/xi-calls-religion-align-ethnic-and-social-harmony-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3327362/xi-calls-religion-align-ethnic-and-social-harmony-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 08:00:43 +0000 Cheng Xianyue Cheng Xianyue The military parade in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese people’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression drew global attention. In Hong Kong and Macau, where the ceremony was broadcast live, the emotions and reflections inspired were unique – admiration and pride mingling with questions and contemplation. Some ask, as decennial parades have become routine, does this “muscle flexing” carry practical significance, given that China’s rise is now an... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3326211/hong-kong-and-macau-beijing-parade-was-more-sheer-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3326211/hong-kong-and-macau-beijing-parade-was-more-sheer-spectacle?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 01:30:10 +0000 Orange Wang,Wendy Wu Orange Wang,Wendy Wu Zheng Yongnian is a leading political scientist and government adviser in China. His academic work is mainly about contemporary politics, the country’s transformation and external relations. In his second in-depth interview with the Post, Zheng discusses AI governance and how China can consolidate its narrative amid growing geopolitical risks. This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here. For many years, you have called for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325111/zheng-yongnian-why-china-must-look-beyond-west-build-better-ai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325111/zheng-yongnian-why-china-must-look-beyond-west-build-better-ai?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 22:00:15 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik The first Chinese edition of Red Star Over China, an influential book that gave people in the West an understanding of Mao Zedong and the Communist Party, is on display for the first time in Shanghai as China marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The 1937 book was written by American journalist Edgar Snow, the first Westerner to meet Mao and other early party leaders. In 1936, Snow visited Yanan, the party’s headquarters following the Long March, which had concluded the previous... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3323770/early-red-star-over-china-editions-unveiled-shanghai-mark-wwii-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3323770/early-red-star-over-china-editions-unveiled-shanghai-mark-wwii-anniversary?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 11:01:38 +0000