CPC schedules meeting on new 5-year plan

BEIJING - Leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will gather from Oct. 26 to 29 in Beijing to discuss the development plan for the next five years.

The fifth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee was scheduled at a meeting of the Political Bureau, presided over by the CPC Central Committee general secretary Xi Jinping.

During the 12th five-year plan period (2011-2015), China faced a complicated international environment and a need for reform to ensure development and stability. Under the Party's leadership, the Chinese people made major progress, said a statement released after Monday's meeting.

While economic development will be the central task, a people-centered approach will be employed in the 2016-2020 plan, with the development of people's democracy, guarantees of social equity and justice through rule of law and encouragement for innovation.

The agreements coming out of the meeting include a regulation on clean governance and rules on sanctions of those who break party rules. The former sets high standards for Party members and leading cadres while latter marks out the bottom line for Party organizations and members.

According to the statement released after the meeting, the revision upholds the principle that Party discipline is stricter than the law and discipline should be put before the law.

Attendees of the meeting stressed that in order to realize the Party's mission, it must be strictly governed. Tightening discipline is key to good governance.

The CPC Constitution must be honored and observed in governing the Party. Since the Constitution is embodied in the revised rules, they must also be implemented to ensure the authority of the Constitution. Strict discipline is a fine tradition of the Party.

Political discipline and rules must be put first. Violations of rules, whether in work or private life, damage the Party's political integrity.Party authorities at all levels must publicize the new rules and abide by them. Leading cadres must set good examples in enforcement and be bold in fighting conduct that affects the implementation of the rules.

Attendees also said CPC disciplinary watchdogs at all levels should use the new rules to establish a mechanism that stops corruption.