The Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was held from October 9 to 12 in Beijing, and was said to "set the tone" for the upcoming Party congress.

The Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is held in Beijing October 12, 2007. The Session, opened on October 9, was closed on October 12.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivers an important speech during the Seventh Plenary Session of the 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing October 12, 2007.

It was decided at the plenum that the 17th CPC National Congress will be convened from October 15 in Beijing, according to a communique from the plenum issued on Friday.

At present were 190 members and 152 alternate members of the CPC Central Committee, with members of the CPC's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and leading officials of relevant departments attending the plenum as non-voting members.

The plenum was presided over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered an important speech.

Hu, entrusted by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made a work report, which was discussed at the plenum.

It also discussed and approved a report to be presented by the 16th CPC Central Committee to the National Party Congress beginning next Monday, as well as an amendment to the Constitution of the CPC.

Both documents will be submitted to the Party congress for examination, the plenum decided.

Hu made an explanation to the plenum on the draft report, and Wu Bangguo, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made an explanation on the draft amendment to the CPC Constitution.

The plenum made a favorable assessment on the work of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since the Sixth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee was held last October, according to the communique.

It stated that, with the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", the Political Bureau has earnestly implemented the spirits of the 16th Party Congress and the previous plenums of the 16th CPC Central Committee, and thoroughly carried out "the scientific concept of development".

The communique said the Political Bureau has led the people of all ethnic groups to push forward "an overall economic, political, cultural and social development" and the "new great project of Party building" by "promoting scientific development and social harmony, strengthening macroeconomic control, adjusting economic structure, transforming development style, boosting energy saving and environmental protection, pushing forward reform and innovation, advancing social development and trying hard to address the public's livelihood issues."

It said the Party has "taken a firm stride" toward the goal of creating a "moderately prosperous society" set out in the 16th Party Congress in 2002, and "created better conditions" for the 17th Party Congress.

The plenum summarized the Party's work over the past five years and agreed that the five-year was an "unordinary" period, it said.

Facing a changeful and complicated international environment and shouldering an arduous task of reform and development, the central authorities of the CPC with Hu Jintao acting as general secretary has conquered various difficulties and risks while relying on all the people of various ethnic groups and sticking to Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", the communique said.

It said the country's economic strength has been greatly enhanced, the reform and opening-up have achieved major breakthroughs, people's lives have been greatly improved, the building of democracy and law has made prominent strides, cultural construction has shown new prospects, and the development of national defense and military forces has achieved historic success.

Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions have continued to maintain prosperity and stability, and more efforts have been made to settle the Taiwan issue, it said, adding the multi-faceted diplomacy of the country has "made great accomplishments" and the Party has been "steadily developed", all of which "have opened new prospects for the socialist cause with the Chinese characteristics".

The plenum also promoted Zhu Zuliang, Du Xuefang, Yang Chuantang and Qiu Yanhan, four alternate members of the 16th CPC Central Committee, to full members.

The plenum reviewed and approved two investigation reports by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection on the case of Chen Liangyu, former secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, and Du Shicheng, former deputy secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee.

It endorsed the decisions made by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to expel Chen and Du from the Party, said the communique.

The decision to expel Chen from the Party was made on July 26, and Du was stripped of CPC membership on April 23.

The plenum also "thoroughly analyzed" the current situation and tasks, carried out in-depth discussions on several major issues such as continuing to push forward "the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics" from a new historic starting point and the "new great project of Party building", making full preparations for the convention of the upcoming 17th National Party Congress, the communique said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2007)