The plan, to be drafted by a panel including government officials and legal and human rights experts, would be a blueprint for future reform, the report said.

The announcement was greeted with some scepticism by human rights groups, which pointed to the lack of detail in the plan and similar vague promises in the past. However, they acknowledged that such a forum could embolden supporters of political reform within the Communist party. “My instinct is to say that this is empty talk, but it could also give reformers a voice by allowing them to talk more openly about some of these issues,” said Joshua Rosenzweig, at the Hong Kong office of the Dui Hua Foundation, a human rights group.

Some observers said the announcement could be a tactical move to pre-empt criticism of China's human rights record over the next year. In February, China is scheduled to face a review by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. Moreover, next year marks the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, which is also likely to prompt renewed debate about political reform in China.