The Communist Party of China (CPC) opened the 19th CPC National Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Wednesday morning.

On behalf of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC, Xi Jinping delivered a report titled “Secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.”

The theme of the congress is to “Remain true to our original aspiration and keep our mission firmly in mind, hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, secure a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, strive for the great success of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era, and work tirelessly to realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.”

The congress was attended by 2,338 Party delegates and specially invited delegates, is the country’s most important political meeting in five years. The delegates will deliberate on and adopt an amendment to the Party’s Constitution, and they will also elect the Party’s 19th Central Committee and Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

“This is a new historic juncture in China’s development,” said Xi. It will be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind, he added.

Cause of CPC, Nation Sees “Historic Shifts” in Past Five Years

Xi said that “historic shifts” have been made in the cause of the Communist Party of China and the country in the past five years.

The report outlined the following achievements in the past five years:

• ?Economic Development

Major achievements have been made in economic development, with the country’s GDP rising from 54 trillion to 80 trillion yuan (8.2 trillion to 12.1 trillion U.S. dollars), said Xi.

• Improvement of Living Standards

More than 60 million people have been lifted out of poverty, with the poverty headcount ratio dropping from 10.2 percent to less than 4 percent, Xi said.

• ?Deepening Reform

The Party and the country also made major breakthroughs in deepening reform, launching over 1,500 reform measures, said Xi.

• ?Ecological Civilization

On climate change, he said China has taken a “driving seat” in international cooperation, thus becoming an “important participant, contributor, and torchbearer” in the global endeavor for ecological civilization.

• Strict Party Governance

Significant progress has been made in ensuring full and strict governance over the Party

• Democracy and Rule of Law

The Party and the country have also seen major steps taken in developing democracy and the rule of law, significant advances made on the theoretical and cultural fronts, and notable progress made in ecological civilization, said Xi.

• Theoretical and Cultural Fronts

Significant advances have been made on the theoretical and cultural fronts.

• Strengthening the Armed Forces

Major progress has been made in strengthening the armed forces.

• Work Related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan

Significant progress has also been made in strengthening the work related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

New Era: Socialism with Chinese Characteristics Enters New Era

Socialism with Chinese characteristics has crossed the threshold into a new era, Xi said.

It will be an era of securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and of moving on to all-out efforts to build a great modern socialist country, he said.

It will also be an era that sees China moving closer to center stage and making greater contributions to mankind, he said.

New Thought: CPC Rolls Out Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as Guideline

The CPC has given shape to the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, a long-term guide to action that the Party must adhere to and develop.

The thought “builds on and further enriches Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the Theory of Three Represents, and the Scientific Outlook on Development,” Xi said. “It represents the latest achievement in adapting Marxism to the Chinese context.”

Xi defined components of the thought, calling it a “guide to action” that must be adhered to and steadily developed on a long-term basis for all Party members and all Chinese people in their efforts to achieve national rejuvenation.

New Judgment: Principal Contradiction Facing Chinese Society has Evolved in New Era

“What we now face is the contradiction between unbalanced and inadequate development and the people’s ever-growing needs for a better life,” he said.

The evolution of the principal contradiction represents a “historic shift that affects the whole landscape and that creates many new demands for the work of the Party and the country,” Xi said.

Previously the principal contradiction was described as one between “the ever-growing material and cultural needs of the people and backward social production.”

New Policy: Endeavors to Uphold and Develop Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era

Xi listed a 14-point basic policy that underpins the endeavors to uphold and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.

The report drew up a road map of developing a modernized economy and socialist democracy, building stronger cultural confidence and improving the people’s -well-being.

• Economy

China’s economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development.

In developing a modernized economy, the country must focus on the real economy. China will support state capital in becoming stronger, doing better, and growing bigger, turn Chinese enterprises into world-class, globally competitive firms.

China will leverage the fundamental role of consumption in promoting economic growth and improve the framework of regulation underpinned by monetary policy and macro-prudential policy, and see that interest rates and exchange rates become more market-based.

• Opening-Up

China will not close its door to the world; it will only become more and more open.

China will implement the system of pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list across the board.

China will significantly ease market access and protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign investors.

• Rule of Law

The CPC will set up a central leading group for advancing law-based governance in all areas.

It will strengthen oversight to ensure compliance with the Constitution, advance constitutionality review, and safeguard the authority of the Constitution.

• ?Ecological Progress

The CPC has incorporated Beautiful China into its two-stage development plan for building a great modern socialist country.

The modernization is one characterized by harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

China will establish regulatory agencies to manage state-owned natural resource assets and monitor natural ecosystems, and develop a nature reserves system composed mainly of national parks.

• Armed Forces

By the year 2020, military mechanization will be basically achieved, with IT application coming a long way and strategic capabilities seeing a big improvement. The modernization of the national defense and armed forces should be basically completed by 2035.

The people’s armed forces will be transformed into world-class military by the mid-21st century.

• Diplomacy

No matter what stage of development it reaches, China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.

• Party Building

Having gained overwhelming momentum in its fight against corruption, the Party is determined to secure a sweeping victory over the greatest threat to the Party.

New Target: Great Modern Socialist Country

• China to Basically Realize Socialist Modernization by 2035

Xi said that the CPC will lead the country to basically realize socialist modernization by 2035.

This is the first stage of a two-stage development plan that the CPC drew up for the period from 2020 to the middle of the 21st century.

• ?CPC to Develop China into ‘Great Modern Socialist Country’ by Mid-21st Century

Xi said that the Communist Party of China will develop China into a “great modern socialist country” by the middle of the 21st century.

The Communist Party of China will take a two-step approach to build China into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the century, he said.

Source:?Xinhua, People’s Daily, China Daily