China’s Key Economic Session Delay Signals a Crisis in Governance: Experts

Chinese military delegates leave the closing session of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party at The Great Hall of People in Beijing on Oct. 22, 2022. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

The third plenum of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), usually held in October or November, has not been officially announced this year. Some China observers attributed the absence of a designated date to Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s autocratic decision-making, and others speculate the CCP could be facing unprecedented risks in its governance.

The third plenum is significant because it shapes the country’s economic reforms for the next five to ten years.