President Jiang Zemin is to deliver a speech to the Communist party today which will be welcomed by Chinese business but will offer little hope to those seeking political reform.
Mr Jiang's report to the 16th national congress is expected to confirm a controversial plan to let private entrepreneurs gain influence by joining the party.
However, analysts say that the new leadership to be appointed at the end of the week-long congress will be as cautious as Mr Jiang in his 13 years of leadership about allowing any further move towards democracy.
The private entrepreneurs are now regarded as "labourers (who) can join the party", the official China Daily explained yesterday.
Congress spokesman Ji Bingxuan said the party would broaden its membership to include "outstanding elements from the new social strata".
A small group of pro-democracy activists this week issued a manifesto petitioning the congress to expand the limited democracy permitted in villages to the national level.
Not surprisingly, the Chinese media have made no mention of their appeal which was published by the US-based organisation Human Rights in China.
The manifesto congratulated Mr Jiang on the economic progress made under his leadership in the 1990s, but argued that the lack of political change has created a dangerous imbalance.
"Because democracy and the rule of law is denied", it said, "corruption can only become more acute."
However, the preferred strategy is to complete the party's transformation into a "ruling party" which can deliver material goods to more of the population while keeping a tight grip on power.
Mr Jiang's supporters are expected to dominate the new leadership even though he will relinquish all or most of his posts.
Reports from Hong Kong suggest that Mr Jiang has managed to eliminate from the future line-up Li Ruihuan, who had hinted that he might favour more openness.