October

8-11
The Sixth Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China is held in Beijing, putting forth the goal of building a socialist harmonious society by 2020 and major tasks for this purpose.

8-9
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe makes his first China visit after taking office in September. Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Abe in Beijing.

22
A grand ceremony is held in Beijing to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the successful conclusion of the Long March, a famous military maneuver conducted by the Communist-led Red Army from 1934 to 1936 to combat the then Kuomintang regime.

22
The First Annual Conference of the International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities opens in Beijing. More than 900 delegates from 137 countries and regions and 12 international organizations attended the meeting.

27
Shares of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China begin trading on exchanges in Shanghai and Hong Kong, after the largest lender in the Chinese mainland raised $21.9 billion in the world's biggest initial public offering.

27
The National Scientific and Technological Development Program of the 11th Five-Year Plan Period (2006-10) is published. The document calls for increased support to independent R&D to improve the country's capability in innovation.

November

3-5
The Beijing Summit and the Third Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation are held.

9
The World Health Organization formally approves China's Margaret Chan as its new director general. Chan is the first Chinese national to be elected to head a UN specialized body.

29
Beijing announces ticket prices for the 2008 Olympic Games.

December

1
China opens its wholesale market for crude oil and refined oil products to foreign investment.

9
The National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner, announces that China's gross domestic product is estimated to top 20 trillion yuan in 2006.

11
On the fifth anniversary of the nation's entry into the World Trade Organization, China opens the banking sector under its membership commitments.

14
China and the United States hold their first strategic economic dialogue in Beijing.

15
The 15th Asian Games concludes in Doha, Qatar. China finished the games overwhelmingly in first place in the medal tally with 165 golds and 316 medals overall.

29
The Information Office of the State Council issues China's National Defense in 2006 white paper, which, for the first time, expounds on the country's nuclear strategy.