The giant streamer in the Great Hall of the People, the venue for China's most important political events, echoes Hu Jintao's keynote speech to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC ) which started here Monday morning.

The streamer reads: "To hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, and strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects."

Delegates who attended the previous Party congress five years ago might remember the streamer at that time: "To 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, and work hard to create a new situation in building socialism with Chinese characteristics."

"The streamers always bear themes of Party congresses which are the most important message the CPC wants to transfer to the whole Party and the public," Song Fufan, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, said in a phone interview with Xinhua.

The 16th CPC National Congress set the target of building a moderately prosperous society in the following two decades, Song said. Analyzing new problems and the situation in the past five years, he added, the Party has made new deployment in what China should do at present, which is embodied in the words on the latest streamer.

More than 2,200 delegates, representing over 70 million CPC members nationwide, are reviewing Hu's report on behalf of the 16th CPC Central Committee, which did not dodge outstanding problems challenging the CPC governance, such as widening wealth gap, soaring environmental and ecological costs for rapid growth, regional imbalance of economic and social development, and sustained rural development.

Hu said new requirements for attaining the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects would include balanced and sound economic development, expansion of socialist democracy, cultural enhancement, social programs development, and an environment-friendly and resource-efficient culture.

Zhao Zhongshe, a delegate from the southernmost Hainan Province, said the streamer shows that the Party has enriched the theory of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The streamers of various Party congresses chronicles the deepening of reform and opening-up led by the CPC . The one for the 12th CPC National Congress said: "To strive for creating a new situation in building socialism in all respects." Deng Xiaoping, who masterminded the reform and opening-up policy, encouraged the whole Party to "blaze its own trail and build socialism with Chinese characteristics." Since then, the words of "building socialism with Chinese characteristics" have appeared every time from the 13th to 17th Party congresses.

Analysts say the streamers have shown the CPC 's gradually deepening understanding of the nature of socialism and the law of governance.

The unchanged core theme and the changed focuses at different times have reflected clearer and clearer minds of the CPC on how to push forward the cause of socialism.

Hu summed up the fundamental reason behind the achievements and progress in China: "We have blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and established a system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics."

(Xinhua News Agency October 16, 2007)