Sponsored by the Development Research Center of the State Council (DRC), the 12th China Development Forum, with the theme "The Ongoing Transformation of China's Growth Pattern", was held on March 20 and 21, 2011, at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

The forum – held at the start of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) - focused on such key topics as the Five-Year Plan, macroeconomic policy, fiscal policy and public finance reform, income distribution, social security system, opening-up strategy in a new era, strategic emerging industries, and other domestic and international issues.

The forum aroused much attention both at home and abroad against the backdrop of the evolving international economic disposition, the greater role of China in global arena and the start of a new decade for China's reform and opening-up. The number of participants hit a record high.