The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee

The Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, held in 1978, was a pivotal meeting that marked China's shift towards economic reform and opening up to the world. Leaders decided to move away from strict socialist policies and focus on modernization, encouraging market-oriented reforms, foreign investment, and technological development. This session signaled the end of radical policies from the Cultural Revolution era and set China on a path toward rapid economic growth, emphasizing pragmatism and practical development over ideological purity. It is widely regarded as the beginning of China's reform era.