Communist meeting eyes a leaner, greener China

Beijing

ECONOMIC malaise and the spectre of intractable pollution confronted China's Communist leaders on Monday as official media reported they gathered to plan the nation's course for the next five years, following a surprise interest-rate cut.

The world's second-largest economy is riddled with structural inefficiencies and growth is at its slowest rate since the global financial crisis.

The communist gathering, called the Fifth Plenum, follows a series of disappointing economic data prompting "increasing attention from observers both home and abroad", the Xinhua news agency said.

It came after the People's Bank of China last week cut benchmark interest rates for the sixth time since November, and lowere…