The Chinese Communist Party will convene a key political meeting, one week before the start of the closely watched National Congress at which President Xi Jinping is expected to further cement his authority.

More than 300 senior party officials are gathering in Beijing on Sunday for the seventh plenary session of the party's Central Committee.

The officials will hear reports on the basic outlines of the party's political and economic policies. They will also deliberate draft amendments to the Communist Party constitution.

Beijing is already under tight security ahead of the National Congress that opens on October 16. The city is festooned with decorations and banners touting the event.
A new leadership lineup will be decided at the congress. The key focus is whether Xi will secure a rare third term as party leader. That would mark a break from a party custom of leaders retiring at the age of 68. Xi is 69 years old.

During the previous National Congress in 2017, delegates incorporated what is known as "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" into the party constitution.

China watchers say the upcoming congress could shorten the title of the ideology to "Xi Jinping Thought".

That would raise Xi's stature on par with the country's founding father, Mao Zedong. Mao is currently the only leader with an ideology named after him that is enshrined in the Communist Party's charter.