The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 15, 2007. 

Hu Jintao delivered a report titled "hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects" to the 17th CPC National Congress on behalf of the 16th Central Committee. The theme of the congress is 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, continue to emancipate the mind, persist in reform and opening up, pursue development in a scientific way, promote social harmony, and strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The report is composed of 12 parts: 

1.The work of the past five years; 

2. The great historical course of reform and opening up; 

3. Thoroughly applying the scientific outlook on development; 

4. New requirements for attaining the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects; 

5. Promoting sound and rapid development of the national economy; 

6. Unswervingly developing socialist democracy; 

7. Promoting vigorous development and prosperity of socialist culture; 

8. Accelerating social development with the focus on improving people's livelihood; 

9. Opening up new prospects for modernization of national defense and the armed forces; 

10. Carrying forward the practice of "one country, two systems" and advancing the great cause of peaceful national reunification; 

11. Unswervingly following the path of peaceful development; and 

12. Comprehensively carrying forward the great new undertaking to build the Party in a spirit of reform and innovation.

Hu Jintao indicated in the report that the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics is the banner guiding development and progress in contemporary China and rallying the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups in the country in our common endeavor. Emancipating the mind is a magic instrument for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, reform and opening up provide a strong driving force for developing it, and scientific development and social harmony are basic requirements for developing it. Building a moderately prosperous society in all respects is a goal for the Party and the state to reach by 2020, and represents the fundamental interests of the people of all ethnic groups.

Hu Jintao stressed that the whole Party must unswervingly hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and lead the people in starting from this new historical point, grasping and making the most of the important period of strategic opportunities, staying realistic and pragmatic, forging ahead with determination, continuing to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and accelerate socialist modernization, and accomplishing the lofty mission bestowed by the times.    

Hu Jintao reviewed the new achievements made since the 16th CPC National Congress: Economic strength increased substantially; major breakthroughs were made in reform and opening up; living standards improved significantly; fresh progress was registered in improving democracy and the legal system; a new situation was created in cultural development; social development proceeded in an all-round way; historic achievements were scored in the development of national defense and the armed forces; work related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs was intensified; major progress was made in all-directional diplomacy; the great new undertaking to build the Party made solid progress.

After making conclusion about the great historical course of reform and opening up, Hu Jintao indicated that facts have incontrovertibly proven that the decision to begin reform and opening up is vital to the destiny of contemporary China, that reform and opening up are the only ways to develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and rejuvenate the Chinese nation, that only socialism can save China and that only reform and opening up can develop China, socialism and Marxism. To sum up, the fundamental reason behind all our achievements and progress since the reform and opening-up is that we have blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and established a system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Essentially, to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics means to keep to this path and uphold this system. In contemporary China, to stay true to Marxism means to adhere to the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

When it comes to the scientific outlook on development, Hu stressed that, the scientific outlook on development takes development as its essence, putting people first as its core, comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development as its basic requirement, and overall consideration as its fundamental approach. To thoroughly apply the scientific outlook on development, we must always pursue the basic guidelines of one center, two basic points, actively promote the construction of socialist harmonious society, deepen reform and opening up and tangibly strengthen and improve the development of the Party.

Hu Jintao put forward new requirements for attaining the goal of a moderately prosperous society in all respects: Promote balanced development to ensure sound and rapid economic growth; expand socialist democracy and better safeguard the people's rights and interests as well as social equity and justice; promote cultural development and notably enhance the cultural and ethical quality of the whole nation; accelerate the development of social programs and improve every aspect of the people's well-being; promote a conservation culture by basically forming an energy- and resource-efficient and environment friendly structure of industries, pattern of growth and mode of consumption.

To attain the objectives for economic development, it is essential to significantly accelerate the transformation of the development pattern and improve the socialist market economy; enhance China's capacity for independent innovation and make China an innovative country; accelerate transformation of the mode of economic development and promote upgrade of the industrial structure; balance urban and rural development and build a new socialist countryside; improve energy, resources, ecological and environmental conservation and enhance China's capacity for sustainable development; promote balanced development among regions and improve the pattern of land development; improve the basic economic system and the modern market system; deepen fiscal, taxation and financial restructuring and improve macroeconomic regulation; expand opening up in scope and depth and improve our open economy.

Hu Jintao stressed that the Party has been consistently pursuing the goal of developing socialist democracy. As an important part of the overall reform, political restructuring must be constantly deepened along with economic and social development. Expand people's democracy and ensure that they are masters of the country; develop primary-level democracy and ensure that the people enjoy democratic rights in a more extensive and practical way; comprehensively implement the rule of law as a fundamental principle and speed up the building of a socialist country under the rule of law; expand the patriotic united front and unite with all forces that can be united; accelerate the reform of the administrative system and build a service-oriented government; improve the mechanism of restraint and supervision and ensure that power entrusted by the people is always exercised in their interests.

Hu Jintao indicated that we must keep to the orientation of advanced socialist culture, bring about a new surge of socialist cultural development. Build the system of socialist core values and make socialist ideology more attractive and cohesive; foster a culture of harmony and cultivate civilized practices; promote Chinese culture and build a common spiritual home for the Chinese nation; stimulate cultural innovation and enhance the vitality of cultural development, so that the people will share in the benefits of cultural development.

Hu stressed that social development is closely related to the people's well-being, so we must do our best to ensure that all our people enjoy their rights to education, employment, medical and old-age care, and housing, so as to build a harmonious society. More importance must therefore be attached to social development on the basis of economic growth to ensure and improve people's livelihood, carry out social restructuring, promote social equity and justice and the construction of harmonious world. Give priority to education and turn China into a country rich in human resources; implement a development strategy that promotes job creation and encourage entrepreneurship to create more employment opportunities; deepen reform of the income distribution system and increase the income of urban and rural residents; accelerate the establishment of a social security system covering both urban and rural residents and guarantee their basic living conditions; establish a basic medical and health care system and improve the health of the whole nation; improve social management and safeguard social stability and unity. 

To strengthen national defense and the armed forces occupies an important place in the overall arrangements for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Bearing in mind the overall strategic interests of national security and development, we must take the development of both economic and national defense into consideration and make our country prosperous and our armed forces powerful while building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. For the armed forces to fully carry out the historical missions assigned by the Party and the people at this new stage in the new century, we must implement the military strategy for the new period, accelerate the revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics, ensure military preparedness, to make the armed forces more revolutionary, modernized and standardize so as to enhance the military's capability to respond to various security threats and accomplish diverse military tasks. We are determined to safeguard China's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and help maintain world peace.

Hu stressed that since the return of Hong Kong and Macao to the motherland, more and more experience has been gained in putting into practice the principle of "one country, two systems." We will unswervingly implement the principle of "one country, two systems," under which "Hong Kong people administer Hong Kong" and "Macao people administer Macao" with a high degree of autonomy. To realize China's peaceful reunification on this principle accords with the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation. Here we would like to make a solemn appeal: On the basis of the one-China principle, let us discuss a formal end to the state of hostility between the two sides, reach a peace agreement, construct a framework for peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, and thus usher in a new phase of peaceful development. We are willing to make every effort with the utmost sincerity to achieve peaceful reunification of the two sides, and will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any name or by any means. 

We maintain that people in all countries should make joint efforts to promote the construction of a harmonious world of sustainable peace, lasting peace and common prosperity. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and is committed to developing friendship and cooperation with all other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. The Chinese people will continue to work tirelessly with the people of other countries to bring about a better future for humanity.

Hu stressed that the Party must improve itself in a spirit of reform and innovation and stay as the firm core of leadership for this cause. Thoroughly study and apply the system of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics and focus on arming the whole Party with the latest achievements in adapting Marxism to Chinese conditions; continue to strengthen the Party's governance capability and focus on building high-quality leading bodies; expand intra-Party democracy and focus on enhancing the Party's solidarity and unity; continue to deepen reform of the cadre and personnel system and focus on training high-caliber cadres and personnel; consolidate and develop all the achievements of the campaign to educate Party members to preserve their vanguard nature, and focus on strengthening primary Party organizations; effectively improve the Party's style of work and focus on combating corruption and upholding integrity.

Hu concluded that we should hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, rally more closely around the Party Central Committee, unite as one, forge ahead in a pioneering spirit, and work hard to achieve new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and write a new chapter of happy life for the people! 

Hu's report was interrupted by frequent rounds of applause.

(China.org.cn)