What's New

 Scientific Outlook on Development becomes CPC's theoretical guidance
The Communist Party of China (CPC) on November 8 moved to lift the status of the Scientific Outlook on Development into a position like the Deng Xiaoping Theory as the theoretical guidance for the Party, ordering more than 82 million Party members to adhere to it for a long time.

Timeline:

2003: The Scientific Outlook on Development was proposed by the 16th CPC Central Committee 

2007: The Scientific Outlook on Development was first written into the CPC Constitution at the Party's 17th National Congress

 Per capita income included in economic growth index
"To make China's development far more balanced, coordinated and sustainable, we should double its GDP and per capita income from 2010 for both urban and rural residents (by 2020)," Hu said in the report to the 18th National Congress of CPC. 

This is the first time that per capita income has been included in the country's 2020 blueprint for a moderately prosperous society.

 "Social justice" spotlighted in Congress keynote speech 
Hu Jintao urged policy makers to improve the social justice system in his keynote report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), stressing it should provide people with equal rights, opportunity and regulation for all.

 Party Congress open doors to village officials
Shi Lei, the 24-year-old Party Secretary of a street administration office in Nanjing, has become a media darling thanks to the extensive coverage of his story as soon as he was confirmed as the first graduate village official ever for the Party Congress in May.

As a college graduate from Tsinghua University and a street official for four years, Shi's name showed up on a roster of 70 delegates representing a total of 4.85 million Party members in Jiangsu Province, for the upcoming Congress.

 Building 'beautiful China' 
Hu Jintao emphasized the importance of environmental issues and advocated the building of a "beautiful" China in the country's overall development plan on November 8.

In his report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Hu said "we must give high priority to making ecological progress, work hard to build a beautiful country, and achieve lasting and sustainable development of the Chinese nation."

 Ecological progress incorporated into "Overall approach" for China's modernization drive
"Our overall approach (in building socialism with Chinese characteristics) is to promote economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress," Hu told more than 2,200 delegates gathered in the Great Hall of the People for the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

This is the first time that ecological progress has been incorporated into the country's overall development plan by the CPC.

 New leaders: young with grassroots experiences
A notable feature of the leading officials born after the founding of New China, no matter what families they are from, is that they all have grassroots working experiences. They had worked with ordinary farmers, workers and soldiers, and been promoted step by step.

 Young delegates
Among the delegates to the 18th Party congress, a number of CPC officials born in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, were under the spotlight.

They grew up in a totally different historic and social environment from their predecessors, which will, to a great extent, lead to a different administration concept and approach.

 Half of Central Committee members are newcomers
Nearly 50 percent of the new Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) are newcomers, indicating that the CPC, with 91 years of history and more than 82 million members, has again completed its central leadership transition.

Comments

 Hu Angang, a prominent economist with Tsinghua University, also a delegate to the CPC national congress
"It will be a theme we have to follow and a fundamental principle that guides various of fields for quite a long time...We should not only unswervingly adhere to the Scientific Outlook on Development, but further enrich and interpret the theory according to future practices."

 Professor Cai Zhiqiang with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee
"It shows the Party has made great efforts during the selection process to ensure the delegates, who come from the widest range of professionals, have the opportunity to practice their duties and make their voices heard in the decision-making process among China's top leaders."

Chinese Media Digest

Beijing Youth Daily
Development in one country should not come at the expense of polluting another. China, as a representative of all developing countries, already clearly understands the importance of protecting and repairing the environment.

Beijing Times
The reason why large-scale projects usually choose to ignore environmental protection laws is because they believe the only consequence is paying a fine.

Xinhuanet.com

The National Congress report announced China will strive to help "benefit all citizens through the achievements of socialism".

The government will put much more energy and money towards improving the well-being of the people, such as addressing the disparity of income and boosting wages among low-income groups.

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