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As the 17th Chinese Communist Party Congress opens today, with an expected attendance of over 2,000 delegates, we thought it may be useful to find out what the event is all about.

The event, which is held every five years or so, allows delegates to discuss new policies to be adopted in future, and give these their endorsement.

The Chinese Communist Party Congress is also used to promote or remove key party officials, and it is widely anticipated that President Hu will use this year’s event to promote more of his allies to these positions.

Most of the 2,ooo+ delegates to be attending are significant party members from Beijing and surrounding areas, though around 600 of them are carefully selected from the rest of China.

This congress is the Chinese Government’s main political event. As there are no elections in China, and many policy decisions are agreed between different groups within the party prior to the Congress, it represents an opportunity to formally announce the key policies for the next five years to the public, and the world at large, as well as allowing these policies to be endorsed by the Party as a whole.

We’ll try to report on the key issues arising out of this Congress as time goes on.