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China’s third plenum

China’s third plenum
The Chinese Communist Party held its third plenum of the 20th Party Congress in July 2024, a long-anticipated meeting where the country’s leaders are expected to release a plan for reform that will chart a sustainable growth path and address economic difficulties.
Illustration: Craig Stephens
US-China relations

Opinion | China could be the steady counterweight to Trump’s Pax Americana

Few seem able to resist Trump’s domestic and foreign policies, but China’s actions could offer a template for how to withstand the pressure.

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China economy

Opinion | China will rein in vicious competition at the root of its overcapacity

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Alibaba

Alibaba pulls in US$5 billion from dual-currency bond offering

China economy

Opinion | There’s hope for China’s economy, as long as planners can ‘let go’

Despite economic challenges, a commitment to reform and pre-emptive planning will ensure China’s fundamentals remain strong.

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A shopper examines goods at a supermarket in Tengzhou, Shandong province, on April 11. Photo: Xinhua
China's economic recovery

China’s middle class is riding a wave of optimism for now, but can it last?

As a raft of stimulus measures boost confidence, many remain cautious about the nation’s long-term economic prospects.

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Hong Kong politics

Opinion | A stronger, safer Hong Kong will contribute to civilisation

Striking a sound balance between development, security and progress is both a call of the times and a historical mission for Hong Kong.

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China’s Communist Party

Is China looking at Mao-era plan to boost economic self-reliance?

The original plan moved industries west to counter the threat of invasion, but now the prime motivation appears to be supply chains.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Science

China cracks down on academic misconduct as part of push to beat US in tech war

By naming and shaming Chinese researchers for misconduct, China’s science ministry is doubling down on its push towards tech prowess.

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Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong must better sync up policies with Macau, mainland China: Starry Lee

Starry Lee, who sits on NPC Standing Committee, says more policy coordination between jurisdictions aligns with spirit of third plenum.

China education

China’s urban-rural gap is a threat to growth. Is the divide too wide to fix?

Researchers report waning optimism about social mobility among rural Chinese as education disparities create obstacles for economy.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
Hong Kong politics

Hong Kong has critical role in country’s reform: senior Beijing officials

Commerce minister Wang Wentao and key legal official Shen Chunyao brief political elites on third plenum resolution in Hong Kong session.

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Senior Beijing officials have for the first time held a large session in Hong Kong, broadcast live to the public, about the country’s five-yearly top-level Chinese Communist Party third plenum. Photo: Sun Yeung
US-China relations

Opinion | Far from an aggressor, China has been remarkably restrained

Despite becoming a US peer competitor, China’s practice of strategic forbearance does not point to aspirations of global hegemony.

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China economy

Opinion | China’s third plenum shows its reform era has entered a new phase

As China strives to build a “high-level socialist market economy”, expect the central government to build on the reforms of past decades.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong must be ‘3 centres, 1 hub’ as stated in China’s third plenum: Paul Chan

City must position itself as international centre for finance, shipping and trade, and a major talent hub, finance chief says in blog post.

Kwai Chung Container Terminal. Finance chief Paul Chan has all called for the city to focus on growing sectors such as smart and green shipping. Photo: Jelly Tse
China’s Communist Party

China’s third plenum highlights the quiet rise of political theorist Wang Huning

The CPPCC chairman’s role on the plenum’s documents drafting team shows he remains Xi’s ideological ‘brains trust’, an observer said.

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The Chinese Communist Party’s fourth most senior official, Wang Huning, has played a key role in developing ideology for three of China’s presidents, including Xi Jinping. Photo: AFP
Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Letters | A bright side to Olympic gold medallist Vivian Kong’s retirement

Readers discuss the fencer’s image as a heroine, tennis gold for China, false allegations against a boxer, and China’s third plenum communique.

China society

Opinion | What China watchers should know about where the country is headed

The reforms outlined in the third plenum sets the groundwork for deepening efforts such as poverty alleviation to sustainable development.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | How Hong Kong can fulfil its crucial role in China’s modernisation

Reform continues to be a central theme in the Communist Party’s vision for China, which offers scope for Hong Kong to play to its strengths.

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People wave the Chinese national and Hong Kong special administrative region flags during an event celebrating the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule on July 1. Photo: Bloomberg
US-China relations

Opinion | Trump’s return as US president would not be all doom and gloom for China

Trump’s return, while expected to affect how China will carry out Xi’s reforms, could also work in Beijing’s favour geopolitically.

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Diplomacy

Opinion | How Hong Kong can help overturn narrative of China turning inwards

With its world-class biotech research and unique East-meets-West culture, Hong Kong could facilitate cooperation between China and the rest of the world.

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China economy

Opinion | The era of the entrepreneurial Chinese local government is over

Local governments, so crucial to China’s economic take-off, have arguably become the biggest drag on the economy and must now be reined in.

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Cyclists and construction in Beijing on July 18. Municipalities’ dependence on land sales for revenue is one of the main factors behind China’s property bubble. Photo: EPA-EFE
China's population

Far from farms: China aims to energise economy with new urbanisation action plan

A five-year undertaking could see 70 per cent of all Chinese settled in large cities, with newly granted urban-residency status and benefits, to expand domestic demand and industrial upgrades.

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As of last year, slightly more than 66 per cent of China’s 1.4 billion people lived in urban areas, and leadership wants that percentage to reach 70 per cent in five years. Photo: AFP
China’s Communist Party

A firebrand commentator analysed China’s third plenum. Now he’s gone silent

Firebrand former Global Times chief is absent from Weibo and WeChat after publishing now-deleted piece on China’s economic strategy.

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China economy

SCMP Plus webinar – third plenum

Watch a recording of SCMP Plus’ workshop on takeaways from the third plenum. A summary of questions asked by webinar participants is also included.

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China's economic recovery

Open Questions | Ex-World Bank economist on why ‘China will not be misled’, dodging Japan’s fate

Professor and economist Justin Lin Yifu says China’s industrial policy is paramount to continued development, tech innovation and the transition to higher productivity.

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Illustration: Victor Sanjinez Garcia
China economy

Opinion | China must heed its own lessons in tackling past overcapacities

Overtightening hurt China’s economy in the past. Faced with new overcapacities, China should adopt a more expansionary fiscal and monetary policy.

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If policymakers had pursued moderate fiscal and monetary expansion while encouraging the market to play a decisive role in eliminating sectoral overcapacity in 2012, China may well have achieved higher GDP growth rates in the ensuing years. Photo: AP
Diplomacy

China wants to be better prepared for strategic risks like economic sanctions

The top leadership vowed to improve ‘early warning’ systems to identify threats to its interests and investments overseas at last week’s third plenum.

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China economy

The View | How China’s move to cap salaries is redefining finance’s role in society

The measure shows the central government sees finance as a support mechanism for the real economy, not a stand-alone profit centre.

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