The 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has approved the report made by Comrade Jiang Zemin on behalf of the 15th CPC Central Committee. The report has expounded in a profound manner such major questions as what banner to hold, what road to take and what objectives to attain by our Party in the new century. It has made overall arrangements for reform, opening up and the socialist modernization drive. It is a political declaration and a program of action for the Party to unite with and lead the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country in forging ahead at the new stage in the new century.

The Congress holds that the theme of the report accords with the tide of the times and the sentiments of all Party members and the people. The whole Party should hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, fully act on the important thought of Three Represents, carry forward our cause into the future, keep pace with the times, build a well-off society in an all-round way, speed up socialist modernization and work hard to create a new situation in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Congress stresses that our Party must stand firm in the forefront of the times and unite with and lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in accomplishing the three major historical tasks: to propel the modernization drive, to achieve national reunification and to safeguard world peace and promote common development, and in bringing about the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on its road to socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The Congress highly values the work of the 15th CPC Central Committee. Since the convocation of the 15th CPC National Congress, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Jiang Zemin at the core has led the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups in traversing an extraordinary course and scoring tremendous achievements in reform, development and stability, domestic and foreign affairs and national defense and in running the Party, state and army. The major policy decisions made by the Central Committee at and since the 15th National Congress are correct. Our achievements provide a more solid foundation for the future development of the cause of the Party and state.

The Congress approves the summary made by the 15th CPC Central Committee of the great practice over the past 13 years since the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Central Committee and unanimously agrees on the basic experience as the Party leads the people in building socialism with Chinese characteristics. The Congress maintains that this experience and the historical experience gained by the Party since its founding can be summarized as follows: Our Party must always represent the development trend of China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people. They are the inexorable requirements for maintaining and developing socialism and the logical conclusion our Party has reached through hard exploration and great practice. The whole Party must uphold the basic theories, line, program and experience of the Party and do a better job in all fields of endeavor.

The Congress unanimously agrees to establish the important thought of Three Represents, Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory as the guiding ideology of the Party. As a continuation and development of Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought and Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents reflects new requirements for the work of the Party and state arising from the changes in China and other parts of the world today. It is a powerful theoretical weapon for strengthening and improving Party building and promoting self-improvement and development of socialism in China. Persistent implementation of the "Three Represents" is the foundation for building our Party, the cornerstone for its governance and the source of its strength. The implementation of the important thought of Three Represents is, in essence, to keep pace with the times, maintain the Party's progressiveness and exercise the state power in the interest of the people. All Party members must be keenly aware of this basic requirement and become more conscious of and determined in implementing this important thought. The Congress points out that for our country, the first two decades of the 21st century are a period of important strategic opportunities, which we must seize tightly and which offers bright prospects. The Congress agrees with the objectives of building a well-off society in an all-round way put forward in the report and holds that the objectives are of great significance for rallying the forces of the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups and speeding up the socialist modernization drive. In order to attain these objectives, it is imperative to come up with new ideas for development, make new breakthroughs in reform, break new ground in opening up and take new moves in all fields of endeavor.

The Congress agrees on the arrangements for China's economic, political and cultural development and reform made in the report. It emphasizes that development is our Party's top priority in governing and rejuvenating the country and that it is imperative to take economic development as the central task, keep releasing and developing the productive forces, improve the socialist market economy, implement the strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and education and that of sustainable development, promote strategic adjustment of the economic structure, basically accomplish industrialization, energetically apply IT, accelerate modernization, maintain a sustained, rapid and sound development of the national economy and steadily uplift the people's living standards. Adhering to the Four Cardinal Principles, we must go on steadily and surely with political restructuring, extend socialist democracy and build socialist political civilization in order to build a socialist country under the rule of law and consolidate and develop the political situation characterized by democracy, solidarity, liveliness, stability and harmony. It is necessary to make major efforts to develop socialist culture and spiritual civilization, continue to carry forward and cultivate the national spirit, promote ideological and ethical progress, develop education and science, make cultural innovation and enhance the attraction and appeal of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics. The Congress holds that strengthening our national defense is an important guarantee for safeguarding our national security and unity and building a well-off society in an all-round way. The Congress approves the arrangements for building national defense and the army made in the report. The Congress stresses the need to adhere to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification" and "one country, two systems" and the eight-point proposal on developing cross-Straits relations and advancing the process of peaceful national reunification at the present stage in order to achieve the complete reunification of the motherland ultimately.

The Congress agrees with the report on its analysis of the international situation and all the principles it puts forth for the external work, stressing the need to pursue the independent foreign policy of peace and work with all nations to safeguard the common interests of mankind, boost world multipolarization, oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, and advance the lofty cause of world peace and development.

The Congress stresses that we must spare no efforts to strengthen and improve the Party's leadership and fully advance the great new undertaking of Party building in building a well-off society in an all-round way and speeding up the socialist modernization drive. It is necessary to adhere to the principle that the Party exercises self-discipline and is strict with its members, build up the Party ideologically, organizationally and in its style of work, raise all Party members' level of the Marxist theory, build up the Party's governing capacity, reinforce its class foundation and expand its mass base, and keep the flesh-and-blood ties between the Party and the people. It is essential to take a clear-cut stand and never waver in carrying on the fight against corruption in depth.

The Congress requires that in the face of a world that is far from being tranquil and the formidable tasks before us, all Party members should be mindful of the potential danger and stay prepared against adversities in times of peace, that we should be keenly aware of the rigorous challenges brought about by the ever-sharpening international competition as well as risks and difficulties that may arise on our road ahead, and that we should bear in mind the overall interests of our Party all the more deeply, cherish the solidarity all the more dearly and safeguard stability all the more firmly.

The Congress calls on all Party comrades and the people of all ethnic groups of the country to rally closely around the Party Central Committee and work with one heart and one mind in a joint and unyielding effort to advance the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics and create a happier life and a better future for us all!

(Xinhua News Agency November 14, 2002)