The Chinese Communist party’s top officials have convened a secretive conclave in the seaside town of Beidaihe to finalise plans to hand power to a new generation of leaders after the most serious crisis to hit the party in years.
President Hu Jintao and other top leaders arrived in the resort on Friday, according to three people familiar with the meeting. At the 18th party congress later this year, the party will unveil the slate of leaders who will run China for the next decade.
One person familiar with the leadership succession said the party would probably cut the size of the politburo standing committee – the top decision-making body – from nine to seven seats.