Economic stability to remain priority

In the run up to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China starting on Oct 18, people are wondering what it portends for the economy. The key questions are: What will be the focus of the report that Xi Jinping, CPC Central Committee general secretary, will present to the Party Congress? And what will its actual impact be on the economic policy and thus the economy?

In line with historical practice, the report is likely to be influenced by the documents of the Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November 2013, the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) and recent policy meetings such as the fifth National Financial Work Conference in July.

Thus, the report will likely confirm key long-term objectives, notably a "moderately prosperous society" and a doubling of GDP between 2010 and 2020. In terms of economic policy and reforms, the focus is likely to be on combating corruption, reforming State-owned enterprises and reducing overcapacity, deleveraging, "new urbanization", innovation, moving up the value chain and "Made in China 2025", the Belt and Road Initiative, globalization and the environment.