Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin and Li Changchun have been elected Sunday morning into the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Party's top decision-making body.

Zeng Qinghong, Wu Guanzheng and Luo Gan are not in the new central committee.

Zeng Qinghong is 68 years old, Wu Guanzheng, 69 and Luo Gan, 72. They were members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 16th CPC Central Committee.

Zeng Qinghong, Wu Guanzheng and Luo Gan sat in the front row of the podium as executive members of the presidium of the congress.

The delegates to the Party congress showed respect and appreciation to Zeng Qinghong, Wu Guanzheng and Luo Gan, for their "breadth of their political vision and sterling integrity".

Zeng was also a member of the secretariat of the 16th CPC Central Committee and is vice president of China. Wu Guanzheng acted as secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC. Luo served as secretary of the CPC Central Political and Legal Affairs Committee.

Huang Ju, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 16th CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, died of illness on June 2, 2007.

Members of the Political Bureau of the 16th CPC Central Committee Wu Yi, Zhang Lichang, Cao Gangchuan and Zeng Peiyan are not in the 17th CPC Central Committee.

Wu Yi and Zeng Peiyan are vice premiers. Zhang Lichang is deputy director of a leading group for revitalizing northeast China and other old industrial bases. Cao Gangchuan is vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, state councilor and defense minister.

More than 2,200 delegates elected 204 members and 167 alternate members of the 17th CPC Central Committee at the closing session of the 17th CPC National Congress.

As is customary, the new central committee will hold its first plenary session the following day of the conclusion of the Party congress.

According to the CPC Constitution, the plenum elects the central committee's general secretary, members and alternate members of its political bureau, and members of the political bureau standing committee. The general secretary shall be chosen from political bureau standing committee members.

Delegates to the congress said the reshuffle will help inject new vitality into the leadership that will lead the Chinese people in carrying forward the country's reform and opening-up and building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2007)