The Beidaihe Meeting, an informal gathering of China's current and former leadership, is believed to have commenced. This year's meeting is expected to focus on the upcoming 5th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, scheduled for October.
According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Secretary of the Central Secretariat, met with experts on vacation in Beidaihe, Hebei province, on August 3 to encourage them.
Xinhua reported that Cai Qi conveyed sincere greetings from President Xi Jinping, representing the Communist Party of China and the State Council, to experts from various fields. He stated, "The period of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) is a crucial stage for building a strong education, science and technology, and talent nation. I hope experts will promote the spirit of scientists and achieve new results in their respective fields to contribute more to the construction of socialist modernization." The encouragement event was attended by Shi Taifeng, head of the Central Organization Department, and Wu Zhenglong, Secretary-General of the State Council.
Since 1998, the Communist Party of China and the State Council have invited outstanding experts from across the country to spend their summer vacation in Beidaihe. This year's invitees included representatives from basic research, core technology, and strategic frontier science and technology fields.
The public disclosure of Cai Qi's visit to Beidaihe has led to interpretations that the meeting is indeed taking place. The Communist Party traditionally holds the Beidaihe Meeting at this time of year, where senior and current leaders engage in informal political discussions. The details and schedule of the meeting are not disclosed to the public, but the announcement of leaders' activities in Beidaihe is seen as a signal that the meeting is underway.
This year's Beidaihe Meeting is expected to discuss the 5th Plenary Session, which will focus on key issues such as the "report on the work of the Politburo to the Central Committee" and the study of several major issues to persistently promote strict governance of the Party.
Notably, there are speculations that over 30 Central Committee members may be expelled during this 5th Plenary Session, drawing renewed attention to the power dynamics within the Communist Party. These individuals include high-ranking officials who have already fallen from grace, with 11 being military Central Committee members.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.