Striving to make greater accomplishments under the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics and piloting China into a splendid future with full confidence. The eye-catching 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the morning of November 8, 2012.

Hu Jintao, on behalf of the 17th CPC Central Committee, delivered a report titled "To Firmly March on the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive to Complete the Building of a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects". Hu Jintao stressed that the 18th CPC National Congress is a congress of great importance at a decisive phase of building a moderately prosperous society. The theme of the congress is "to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, free up the mind, implement the policy of reform and opening up, pool our strength, overcome all difficulties, firmly march on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and strive to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects."

The Great Hall of the People looked majestic and dignified. The 10,000-seat auditorium was immersed in a warm atmosphere. The banner written with the "18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China" was hanging above the podium. The party emblem consisting of sickle and hammer was placed at the center of the background scene. 10 bright red flags were placed on the two sides of the podium. The banners written with "to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of Three Represents and the Scientific Outlook on Development, free up the mind, implement the policy of reform and opening up, pool our strength, overcome all difficulties, firmly march on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects" and "long live the great, glorious and correct Communist Party of China" were separately placed on the balconies of the second and third floors.

Members of the Standing Committee of the Presidium of the 18th CPC National Congress sitting at the front row of the podium are: Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li keqiang, He Guoqiang, Zhou Yongkang, Wang Gang, Wang Lequan, Wang Zhaoguo, Wang Qishan, Hui Liangyu, Liu Qi, Liu Yunshan, Liu Yandong, Li Yuanchao, Wang Yang, Zhang Gaoli, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Xu Caihou, Guo Boxiong, Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Li Ruihuan, Song Ping, Wei Jianxing, Li Lanqing, Zeng Qinghong, Wu Guanzheng, Luo Gan, Fan Changlong, Xu Qiliang, He Yong, Ling Jihua and Wang Huning.

The congress, which was presided over by Wu Bangguo, opened at 9 o'clock in the morning. All the delegates rose, singing the national anthem of the People's Republic of China. Subsequently, all the delegates stood in silent tribute to Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Liu Shaoqi, Zhu De, Deng Xiaoping, Chen Yun and the late elder-generation proletarian revolutionaries and revolutionary martyrs.

Wu Bangguo announced that there should be 2,325 representatives attending the 18th CPC National Congress including 2,268 delegates and 57 special invitees and the actual attendance was 2,309. He also extended a warm welcome to the non-party friends and leading comrades from related departments present at the congress.

Hu Jintao, on behalf of 17th CPC Central Committee, delivered a report, which consists of 12 parts: I the work over the past five years and basic summary of the past ten years; II to seize a new victory in socialism with Chinese characteristics; III goals of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and comprehensively deepening reform and opening up; IV to speed up the improvement of socialist market economy mechanism and the transformation of economic development patterns; V to firmly march on the political path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and push forward political reform; VI to promote the building of a country with strong socialist culture; VII to strengthen social building in the process of improving people's livelihood and exploring innovative management; VIII to vigorously promote the development of ecological civilization; IX to accelerate the modernization of national defense and military forces; X to enrich the practice of "one country, two systems" and promote the reunification of the motherland; XI to continue to promote the lofty cause of peace and development of mankind; XII to upgrade the scientific level of party building in a holistic manner.

Hu Jintao pointed out in the report that over the past five years since the 17th National Congress, China has made new and significant achievements in different areas of work. The economy maintained smooth and relatively fast development. Major progress was made in reform and opening up. People's living standards were significantly improved. New strides were made in democracy development and legal building. Cultural development was upgraded into a new level. Social development witnessed new progress. New landscape was created for the development of national defense and military forces. The work concerning Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan was further strengthened. New achievements were accomplished in diplomatic work. Party building was comprehensively enhanced. At the same time, we must be sober-minded that there are many deficiencies in our work and there are still many difficulties and problems on the way forward.

While reviewing the work in the past decade, Hu Jintao stressed that China must seize and make good use of the important phase of strategic opportunities, overcome a number of significant challenges and struggle to advance the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics to a new stage and lay a solid foundation for the building of a moderately prosperous society. Based on the experience in the past ten years, the most important thing is that the party has the courage to promote theoretical innovation based on practice, raised a series of closely-linked new ideas, perspectives, and arguments centering on upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and formed and implemented the Scientific Outlook on Development. For the future, the party must execute the Scientific Outlook on Development in the entire modernization process and reflect the Scientific Outlook on Development in all aspects of party building.

Hu Jintao pointed out that the path concerns the party's lifeline, the future of the country and nation and the well-being of the people. In the constant pursuit during the reform and opening up over the past 30 years and more, the party, firmly upholding the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, has neither selected the old rigid and isolated path nor taken the evil path of changing the flag.

Hu Jintao stressed that the underlying foundation for the building of socialism with Chinese characteristics is that China is still in the primary stage of socialism. The overall layout emphasizes development in five aspects and the general task is to realize socialist modernization and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To seize new victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new historical conditions, China must adhere to the principal position of the people, must insist on emancipating and developing social productivity, must insist on advancing the reform and opening up, must insist on maintaining social fairness and justice, must adhere to the path of common prosperity, must insist on promoting social harmony, must adhere to peaceful development and must adhere to the leadership of the party.

Talking about the goals of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects and comprehensively deepening reform and opening up, Hu Jintao pointed out that in light of international and domestic trends China is still in the important development stage of strategic opportunities. We must ensure the fulfillment of our ambitious goal of building a moderately prosperous society by 2020. On the basis of the goal of building a moderately prosperous society, which was identified by the 16th and 17th CPC national congresses, we need to meet new requirements and reach new targets: to maintain the sustained and healthy economic development, achieve significant progress in transforming economic growth patterns, and double GDP and per capita income of urban and rural residents on the basis of 2010; to continue to expand democracy for the people, significantly enhance soft cultural strength, improve people's living standards in all respects, and make significant progress in building resources-saving and environment-friendly society. It requires greater political courage and wisdom to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society. We must catch every opportunity to deepen reform in key areas, resolutely eliminate all types of ideological and institutional barriers hindering scientific development, build sound, scientific and effective institutional systems and make them more mature and more consistent.

Hu pointed out that, to attain these economic objectives, it is essential to improve the socialist market economy and accelerate the transformation of the development pattern. We need to, first, deepen reform of the economic system; second, implement an innovation-driven development strategy; third, push forward strategic economic restructuring; fourth, promote integrated development of urban and rural areas; and fifth, improve the open economy.

We must keep to the path of political development under socialism with Chinese characteristics and promote political restructuring, Hu stressed. We should prioritize institution building and give full play to the superiority of our socialist political system. In promoting political development and political restructuring, the following important tasks must be attended to: first, supporting and ensuring the people's right in exercising state power through the People's Congress; second, improving the system of socialist consultative democracy; third, improving the system of primary-level democracy; fourth, comprehensively promoting the rule of law; fifth, deepening the reform of the administrative system; sixth, establishing and improving the mechanism of restraint and oversight over the exercise of power; and seventh, consolidating and expanding the patriotic united front as extensively as possible.

Hu pointed to the importance of promoting vigorous development of socialist culture. Efforts should be made to build up and strengthen the system of socialist core values, comprehensively promote citizens' individual morality, enrich the people's cultural life, and increase the country's overall cultural power and competitiveness.

We should promote social development through improving people's livelihood and innovating social management, Hu said. In accelerating social development, the focus should be placed on improving people's livelihood and efforts made to carry out social restructuring. Tasks in this area include the following: running education to the satisfaction of the people, creating more jobs and improving the employment structure, using all resources and policies to increase people's income, accelerating the construction of a social security system covering both urban and rural residents, improving the health of the whole nation, and strengthening and innovating social management.

Hu stressed that priority should be given to the promotion of a conservation culture. Four tasks should be attended to at present and in the near future: first, optimizing the implementation of the functional zoning strategy; second, vigorously promoting resource conservation; third, strengthening ecological and environmental protection; and fourth, stepping up institution building to promote ecological progress.

Hu pointed out that earnest efforts should be made to render the armed forces more revolutionary, modernized and standardized. We should carry out reforms in national defense and the armed forces in an appropriate manner, and accelerate the revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics. China pursues a national defense policy that is defensive in nature. China strengthens her national defense for the purpose of safeguarding national sovereignty, national security, territorial integrity, and the country's peaceful development.

We should continue to gain more experience in putting into practice the principle of "one country, two systems" and accelerate China's reunification, Hu stated. The Central Government will act in strict accordance with the basic laws of Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and render full support to the governments of the two regions in their administration in accordance with the law. We must adhere to the principle of "one country, two systems" and create the ripe conditions for peaceful reunification. We will never waver in our commitment to the one-China principle, and resolutely oppose the secessionist activities aimed at "Taiwan independence."

We should further promote the lofty cause of peace and development of humanity, uphold the principles of equality, mutual trust, tolerance, mutual learning, and win-win cooperation in our interaction with other countries, and safeguard equity and justice in international relations, Hu stressed.

We should make the building of the Party more scientific and regard the strengthening of the Party's governance capability, vanguard nature and purity as the main objectives of party building. We should continue to free up our minds, adhere to the spirit of reform and innovation, ensure that the Party exercises self-discipline and is strict with its members, build the Party in all aspects of ideology, organization, work styles, integrity and institutionalization, improve the capacity for self purification, self improvement, and self development, and build the Party into an innovative, service-oriented and learning Marxist governing party, so that the Party will stay as the firm core of leadership in the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics, Hu said.

To build the Party, we must do a good job in eight aspects: fortifying the convictions of Party members; sticking to the principle of putting the people first and holding office for the people, and maintaining close ties with the people; vigorously promoting intra-party democracy and improving the party's creativity; deepening reform of the cadre and personnel system and training high-caliber cadres and personnel; adhering to the principle that the Party is in charge of cadre management, and bringing talents from all walks of life into service for the Party and the country; innovating ways for party work at primary levels and strengthening the organizational foundation for the Party; focusing on combating corruption and upholding integrity; and exercising rigorous discipline and safeguarding the authority and solidarity of the Party.

To live up to the confidence and trust of the people under new conditions, all Party members must heighten their sense of urgency, be modest and prudent, and always keep a clear mind. The Party must enhance the awareness of innovation, uphold the truth and correct mistakes, and always be ready to make new achievements. The Party must trust the people, rely on the people, and always put the people above all else. The Party must also strengthen its sense of mission, remain pragmatic and hard working, and maintain its political purity, Hu stressed.

Hu's reported was punctuated by warm applauses from the audience.

Non-CPC representatives including present and former Vice Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, present and former Vice Chairmen of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Chairmen and Vice Chairmen (in Beijing only) of the central committees of democratic parties, Chairman and Vice Chairmen (in Beijing only) of All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, representatives of those without party affiliation, as well as representatives of democratic parties, nonparty personages and religious figures who serve on the Standing Committees of the National People's Congress and the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, including Han Qide, Zhou Tienong, Jiang Shusheng, Chen Changzhi, Yan Junqi, Sang Guowei, Pagbalha Geleg Namgyai, Huang Mengfu, Dong Jianhua, Zhang Meiying, Zhang Rongming, Wan Gang, Lin Wenyi, Li Wuwei, Luo Fuhe, Chen Zongxing, Wang Zhizhen, He Houhua, He Luli, Cheng Siwei, Xu Jialu, Jiang Zhenghua, Sun Fuling, Wang Wenyuan, Luo Haocai, Zhang Kehui, Zhang Huaixi, Li Meng, Yuan Longping, were seated on the rostrum as VIP guests. Other relevant CPC cadres also attended the meeting.

Over 2,700 Chinese and foreign journalists covered the opening ceremony of the grand event.