CPC leadership to hold reform-themed plenum on July 15-18

The Communist Party of China (CPC) will convene the third plenary session of its 20th central committee in Beijing on July 15.

The plenum, which will primarily examine issues related to further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization, will last through July 18, according to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held on Thursday.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, chaired Thursday's meeting.

The meeting decided to submit a draft decision on further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization to the plenum for deliberation.

At the meeting, Political Bureau members were briefed on comments on the draft, which were solicited from both within and outside the Party. The draft will be updated after discussions at the meeting before it is submitted to the plenum in July.

The draft has thoroughly analyzed the new situations and problems in advancing Chinese modernization and scientifically planned the overall arrangements for further deepening reforms, according to the meeting.

It was noted at the meeting that the draft serves as a programmatic document guiding deepening reform across the board on the new journey and demonstrates the resolve of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core to open up broad prospects for Chinese modernization through further deepening reform.

Elaborating on the goals and objectives of further reform, the meeting said China will complete building a high-standard socialist market economy by 2035.

The system and capacity for governance will be basically modernized and socialist modernization will be basically achieved by 2035, it added.

The meeting spelled out principles to be upheld in furthering reform.

It emphasized upholding the Party's overall leadership and safeguarding the Party Central Committee's authority and its centralized and unified leadership.

It stressed the people-centered philosophy, adding that the principal position of the people and their creativity should be respected.

The meeting stressed seeking innovation while adhering to what has been done right.

It said socialism with Chinese characteristics should be unswervingly upheld and innovation should be explored in theoretical, practical, institutional, cultural and other aspects.

The meeting also called for seeking institutional improvement and improving top-level design.

It underscored the importance of deepening reforms and advancing Chinese modernization under the rule of law.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of adopting systems thinking to balance key relationships between the economy and society, government and market, efficiency and fairness, vitality and order, as well as development and security.

The Party's leadership is the fundamental guarantee for further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization, the meeting noted, calling for turning the reform plan into a powerful driving force for advancing Chinese modernization.

CPC leadership to hold reform-themed plenum on July 15-18

CPC leadership to hold reform-themed plenum on July 15-18

E-commerce is helping farmers in the Aksu Prefecture in the landlocked region of Xinjiang in northwest China to overcome geographical obstacles and sell their produce to consumers across the country.

As the westernmost region of China bordering Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Xinjiang is thousands of kilometers away from the eastern markets, a despairing distance for local fruit farmers.

"Our apples [used to] make it to domestic markets through traditional ways. The problem is that they have to be picked before they're ripe because of the long transport time," said Zhou Hu, owner of Aksu Qiguo E-commerce.

Zhou runs a company that sells fruits purchased from local farmers to online consumers in live-streaming shows.

"Previously, it might take five to seven days for the apples to arrive. Now with e-commerce, it takes two to three days," Zhou said.

As the business thrives, Zhou has helped raise the income of local farmers.

"We offer farmers 20 percent more of the total price than traditional buyers. That has a direct impact on farmers," Zhou said.

Seizing the opportunity brought about by e-commerce development, Rizwan Guli Erkin opened a store named Ga Beng Cui Dry Fruit Store on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, to help her parents sell paper shell walnuts.

"The walnuts are grown by my parents. They only know how to grow them but don't know how to sell. So after college I've helped them with sales," she said.

Another one who has spotted this opportunity and returned home to build local businesses is Zheng Haozhe, CEO of the Future Village, an accommodation business in Onsu County of Aksu.

"I went to the U.S. when I was 14. I started from the ninth grade in high school. The U.S. has given me a very good education, but now, I feel very grateful to come back to my country and keep building my country, especially in a border area in the western area where things are not very developed," Zheng said.

E-commerce helps Xinjiang farmers reach markets across China