The Communist Party of China (CPC) will unswervingly carry forward reform and opening to the outside world in an effort to protect world peace and promote common development, Hu Jintao, president and general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said at the welcome banquet for delegates attending the Third International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) Friday.

The CPC led the Chinese people through 28 years of arduous struggle to overthrow imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism, which together "weighed like mountains on the backs of the people" in the early 20th century, the president said.

After the founding of new China in mid-century, a broad avenue was opened for the country and its people to thrive and prosper, Hu said.

In the past 20-plus years, the CPC has united and led the people in keeping to the road of "socialism with Chinese characteristics," unswervingly carry forward reform and opening up, developing China's socialist market economy, and pressing ahead with its modernization drive.

In general, he noted, the Chinese people have achieved a moderately prosperous standard of living.

Although its reform and opening up has made great achievements, China is still in the primary stage of socialism and many difficulties and challenges still remain on the road ahead, Hu acknowledged.

"To achieve China's modernization and the common prosperity of all the people, we are still required to unremittingly work hard for a long time to come," the president said.

China has set objectives for the first two decades of this century, among them raising the standard of living in all respects for the benefits of all of China's people, Hu said.

In order to achieve these objectives, the CPC will take Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important concept of "Three Represents" as its guides, he said, vowing to put into practice all-around, coordinated and sustainable development that puts people first.

The CPC will continue to improve its methods of leadership and governance, to bring about the complete reunification of the motherland and to safeguard world peace and promote common development, Hu said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2004)