Over the past week, the Chinese people, accounting for one fifth of the world population, have been closely following the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which is held at "the decisive stage of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects." This week, 2309 CPC representatives, elected and invited by a total of 82.6 million CPC members, will hold in-depth discussion over the experience of China’s development since the reform and opening up, especially in the last decade, as well as the blueprint for future development and self-construction of the CPC. And they will elect members and alternate members of the 18th CPC Central Committee. Over 2,700 Chinese and foreign journalists have registered to cover the event, among them, about 1,700 come from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

At the opening ceremony of the conference, Hu Jintao, Secretary General of the CPC Central Committee delivered a report entitled "firmly march on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and strive to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects." The report, in a simple and explicit way, explains four major issues, namely, 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 outlines the overall approach of promoting economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress, expounded on China’s policy of national defense, diplomacy, “one country, two systems” and national reunification. It also points out the difficulties and challenges that China is facing with.

I. On banner, path, ideological state and goal

--Banner charts the course. The great and successful practice of the CPC over the past 90 odd years since its establishment proves that socialism with Chinese characteristics leads to China’s development and progress and therefore must be firmly adhered to. For the first time, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics is written in the CPC Congress Report and the Scientific Outlook on Development is identified as the theoretical guidance for the Party which is to be adhered to for a long time.

--Path of development is reaffirmed. Under the leadership of the CPC, China will unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We will reject both the old and rigid closed-door policy and any attempt to abandon socialism and take an erroneous path. Under the leadership of the CPC, we will proceed from the basic national conditions, take economic development as the central task, adhere to reform and opening up, promote people’s overall development and gradually achieve common prosperity of all people.

--Ideologist states define the status of the mind. The whole Party must always strive forward and bear in mind that only by taking root among the people and delivering benefits to them can the Party remain invincible. We must make unremitting efforts to combat corruption, promote integrity and stay vigilant against degeneration, otherwise, it could prove fatal to the Party, and even cause the collapse of the Party and the fall of the state.

--Goal provides motivation. The CPC has made a solemn commitment to the Chinese people of building a moderately prosperous society. China should double its 2010 GDP and per capita income for both urban and rural residents by 2020. We will endeavor to build a prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized and harmonious modern socialist country by 100th anniversary of the founding of New China (i.e. 2049). .

II. On development in five aspects

Taking economic development as the central task is vital to national renewal, and development still holds the key to addressing all the problems China is facing. The underlying issue in economic structural reform is how to strike a balance between the role of the government and that of the market. We will enhance social productivity and overall national strength through strategic development of scientific and technological innovation. In the process of strategic adjustment of the economic structure, we will firmly maintain the strategic focus of boosting domestic demand. Urban and rural development should be better balanced and integrated, and all-around improvements to China's open economy should be promoted.

People's democracy is the lifeblood of socialism, and all power of the nation belongs to the people. We must continue to make both active and prudent efforts to carry out the reform of the political structure, and make people's democracy more extensive, fuller in scope and sounder in practice. We will support and ensure that people exercise state power through the People's Congress. We will strengthen political consultation with democratic parties, improve democracy at the grassroots level, and comprehensively promote the rule of law, deepen the reform of the administrative system, and ensure that the power will operate in sunlight.

Culture is the lifeblood of the nation, and the spiritual home of the people. The key of building a socialist cultural power lies in raising the entire nation's cultural creativity. We will strengthen the construction of core socialist value system, promote prosperity, democracy, civilization and harmony, and advocate freedom, equality, justice and rule of law, as well as patriotism, professionalism, integrity and kindness. The level of civility of citizens will be significantly raised, people’s spiritual and cultural life will be enriched, and the overall strength and competitiveness of Chinese culture will be enhanced.

--The fundamental purpose of opening-up and reform and socialist modernization drive is to keep making progress in ensuring that all the people enjoy their rights to education, employment, medical and old-age care, and housing so that they will lead a better life. We will work hard to run education to the satisfaction of the people, strive for better employment and increase people's income. We should raise the share of individual income in the distribution of national income. Keeping to the goal of improving people' s health, China should improve the medical insurance system that covers the whole population.

Promoting ecological progress is a long-term task of vital importance to the people's wellbeing and China's future. We must give high priority to making ecological progress and incorporate it into all aspects and the whole process of advancing economic, political, cultural, and social progress, work hard to build a beautiful country, and achieve lasting and sustainable development of the Chinese nation. We should enhance our capacity for exploiting marine resources, develop the marine economy, protect the marine ecological environment, resolutely safeguard China's maritime rights and interests, and build China into a maritime power. We will make all round efforts to promote resource conservation, and support development of low-carbon industry, new energy and renewable energy. We will exert greater effort to protect the ecology and environment, improve the system for protecting farmland, water resources and environment.

III On national defense policy, foreign affairs, “one country, two systems” and national reunification

No.1 On national defense policy

The purpose of strengthening national defense construction is to safeguard national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity so as to ensure peaceful development of the nation. Building strong national defense and powerful armed forces that are commensurate with China's international standing and meet the needs of its security and development interests is a strategic task of China's modernization drive. China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature, the Chinese army has always been a staunch force for safeguarding world peace. China will continue to strengthen military cooperation with other countries to enhance mutual trust in military participation in regional and international security affairs, and play an active role in the international political and security fields.

No.2 On “one country, two systems” and national reunification

The success of the "one country, two systems" principle has won global recognition. We must both adhere to the one-China principle and respect the differences of the two systems. The central government will act in strict accordance with the basic laws of the special administrative regions to ensure long-term stability of Hong Kong and Macao. Peaceful reunification is in the best interests of the Chinese nation, including compatriots in Taiwan. To achieve peaceful reunification, we must, above everything else, ensure peaceful growth of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. We must adhere to the principle of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems". We must adhere to the one-China principle. The two sides of the Taiwan Straits should uphold the common stand of opposing Taiwan independence and of following the 1992 Consensus. We are ready to conduct exchanges, dialogue and cooperation with any political party in Taiwan as long as it does not seek Taiwan independence and recognizes the one-China principle. We hope that the two sides will jointly explore cross-Straits political relations and make reasonable arrangements for them under the special condition that the country is yet to be reunified. We hope the two sides will discuss the establishment of a cross-Straits military security confidence-building mechanism to maintain stability in their relations and reach a peace agreement through consultation so as to open a new horizon in advancing the peaceful growth of these relations.

No.3 On foreign affairs

Peace and development remain the underlying trends of the times, but the world remains far from tranquil. China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, participate in international affairs with a more positive attitude, play the role of a responsible big country and strive to uphold world peace and promote common development. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and firmly pursue an independent foreign policy of peace. China will unwaveringly follow a win-win strategy of opening up and promote robust, sustainable and balanced growth of the global economy through increased cooperation.

China will develop friendly cooperation with other countries in an all round way on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. China will improve and grow relations with developed countries and strive to establish a new type of relations of long-term stability and sound growth with other major countries. The country will continue to promote friendship and partnership with its neighbors and ensure that China's development will bring more benefits them. China will also increase unity and cooperation with other developing countries, work with them to uphold the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and support efforts to increase their representation and voice in international affairs. China will take an active part in multilateral affairs, and push for a more just and rational international order.