The nation will continue to push for the reform of its political system but will not copy Western models, a Party spokesman said yesterday.

Li Dongsheng, spokesman for the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) - which begins today in Beijing - said the meeting will set out a blueprint for reforming political institutions.

"We will continue to forge ahead with political reform in line with the guidelines to be spelt out," he told a press conference on the eve of the five-yearly congress.

Based on the experience of reform and opening-up over the past 29 years, "we have come to a deep understanding that the reform of the political system matters not only for the success of all-round reform but also affects the basic interests of the broad mass of the public," Li said.

He, however, stressed that China will reform its political system only on the basis of its national conditions; it will draw from other political systems but by no means will it copy Western political models.

To advance political reform, Li pledged that the country will improve socialist democracy through deepening the reform of administrative and judicial systems, and better supervision over the use of power.

Li made the remarks while addressing overseas and domestic journalists who have flocked to the capital to cover the twice-a-decade gathering of the world's biggest political organization and the governing party of the world's fourth-largest economy.

The spokesman said the congress, "being held at a crucial stage of China's reform and development, will be of vital importance".

By holding high the banner of "socialism with Chinese characteristics", the congress will map out strategic directions for "deepening reform and opening-up, the socialist modernization drive and the great new undertaking to build the Party", Li said.

According to the agenda, the week-long congress will endorse an amendment to the Party Constitution and elect a new central committee.

The amendment to the constitution, which was approved at the Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee on Friday, is to embody the "scientific outlook on development" and other major strategic thoughts advanced since 2002, Li said.

The Party congress will also include in the constitution major theoretical viewpoints and work priorities defined in the political report to be submitted to congress, "so that the amended constitution fully reflects the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to Chinese conditions and meets the new requirements arising from the new situation and tasks for improving the Party's work and strengthening Party building", Li said.

A total of 57 specially invited delegates will attend the congress, enjoying the same rights as the other 2,213 delegates. Among them are retired Party and State leaders including former CPC Central Committee general secretary and president Jiang Zemin, former National People's Congress Standing Committee chairman Li Peng and former premier Zhu Rongji.

The congress will elect full and alternate members for a new central committee through a multi-candidate election and secret ballot.

Upon the conclusion of the congress on October 21, the Party's 17th Central Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will hold their first plenary sessions to elect their new leading bodies, Li said.

He said a proposed list of candidates has been prepared by the Political Bureau of the 16th CPC Central Committee and will be submitted to the Presidium of the congress.

(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2007)