Delegates to CPC congress voice support for Party blueprint

Delegates to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have voiced their support for a draft blueprint for the Party and the country in the years to come. At the opening of the congress on Thursday, Hu Jintao delivered a keynote report to the congress on behalf of the 17th CPC Central Committee. The report summarized the achievements scored in the past five years and experience gained over the past decade. It also set forth a series of important theoretical and practical issues on how to uphold and build socialism with Chinese characteristics. The delegates said the report is based on the comprehension of current conditions of the world, the nation and the Party, and defines four major issues concerning the overall work. The major issues are what banner the CPC will hold, what path it will take, what ideological state it will keep, and what goal it is trying to achieve. It will guide the process of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, accelerating the socialist modernization and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the delegates said. Delegate Wang Huisheng, chairman of the State Development Invesment Corp., said the company's development is a microcosm of national economic growth. The past decade saw the fastest development of the company, whose total assets increased from 73 billion yuan (11.59 billion U.S. dollars) to 300 billion yuan, with its profit up from 850 million yuan to 10 billion yuan. Wang hoped the company's reform and management will help with the country's exploration of the reform and development of state-owned enterprises. Delegate Liu Shengrong, Party chief of the Lanzhou Railway Bureau, said the report helps people better understand the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, set forth more clear-cut goals and boost confidence of the Party. As China continues to implement the Strategy to Develop Western China, railways will play a bigger role in boosting regional economic growth, Liu said. Delegate Liu Qiang, Party chief of Fushun City of Liaoning Province, said the Party and government have exerted great efforts to achieve historic achievements in education, employment and health. Fushun is among the first group of cities to renovate housing in run-down areas and more than 300,000 people have moved to new homes. The congress report says developing socialism with Chinese characteristics is a long-term arduous task of historic importance, and the Party must be prepared to carry out a great struggle with many new historical features. "We must unswervingly adhere to socialism with Chinese characteristics, develop it as required by the times, constantly enrich it in both practice and theory and enhance its distinctive national features in keeping up with the times," says the report. Delegate Li Qingkui, Party chief of China Huadian Corporation, said to compete the building of a moderately prosperous society and achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, "we must stick to scientific development and pay more attention to improving the people's wellbeing." Delegate Song Changmei, a farmer from Anji of Zhejiang Province, said she was impressed by the arrangements to promote ecological progress and build a "beautiful China." She said the authorities in Anji are taking measures to build more beautiful villages.