Backgrounder | A significant study session for key Chinese officials
A study session for Chinese principal officials highlighted the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics and boosting the high-quality development of the financial sector.
On Jan. 16, a study session for Chinese principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level began at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), themed on staying committed to the path of financial development with Chinese characteristics and boosting the high-quality development of the financial sector.
Since the late 1990s, the CPC Central Committee has been organizing such study sessions annually for key leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level.
The previous session focusing on financial topics was held on January 5-11, 1999, which sought to analyze the causes and lessons of the financial crisis in Southeast Asia and improve the awareness and ability of leading cadres to prevent and resolve financial risks. Later, the CPC Central Committee held a special seminar on finance and taxation.
On June 5, 2000, the CPC Central Committee issued the Decision on Strengthening and Improving the Work of Party Schools for the 21st Century, which acknowledged the demonstrative role of such study sessions in promoting the study on major strategic issues essential to the overall situation among CPC members. The special study session for main leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level has thus been formally established as an annual institutional arrangement. So far, it has been held 23 times.
Important Subjects
The themes of the special study sessions are of great importance, and they are all major strategic issues concerning the Party Central Committee's decision-making and significant deployment, including:
comprehensively deepening reform in 2014
comprehensively promoting the rule of law in 2015
implementing the development concept of seeking innovative, coordinated, green, open, and inclusive growth in 2016
making an all-out effort to enforce strict Party discipline in 2017
adhering to the bottom-line thinking and striving to prevent and defuse major risks in 2019
correctly understanding and vigorously advancing Chinese modernization in 2023
High-profile Attendance
The study session is the highest-level class held at the Party school. Chinese President Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, usually addresses the opening of the study session for those who are known as the "key minority" of the Party -- leading cadres of the Party, government, military and mass organizations at the provincial and ministerial level and the newly elected members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee.
Normally Chinese premier will preside over the opening ceremony, and several other members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee will be present.
In addition, members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, State Councilors, president of the Supreme People's Court, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, vice chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and members of the Central Military Commission will also attend the opening ceremony.