Continuity of policy

While some have sought tirelessly for clues to which way the political wind is blowing in the run-up to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the just concluded seventh plenary session of the 17th CPC National Congress delivered an unmistakable message that it will continue to blow in the same direction.

As the last full session of the 17th CPC National Congress, the meeting featured routine reviews of the work of the Party's central leadership during the past five years.

And as the communiqu of meeting pointed out, since the onset of the financial crisis in 2008, the bleak global economy has put unprecedented pressure on the robust, yet still immature, Chinese market economy. And the eurozone debt crisis, which continues to cause uncertainty, has increased the difficulties facing our export-oriented manufacturing sectors.

It is not a matter of luck that China's economy has avoided a hard landing, and it was the fine helmsmanship the CPC has demonstrated throughout these challenging times that won its leadership the full endorsement at the Party's 17th National Congress.

From the mammoth stimulus package introduced to offset the effects of the financial crisis to its current restraint from repeating that formula, from the commitment to its signature Scientific Outlook on Development to the latest pledge to press ahead with reforms, the CPC national leadership has shown that it is highly proficient at managing the world's most complicated economy.

As a natural extension of the current CPC leadership's steadfast desire to improve people's livelihoods, the emphasis on fairness, social harmony and clean government has been widely acclaimed. That a basic social security network has been put in place and covered most Chinese citizens is an essential cornerstone for the ideal of a "harmonious society". The anticipated reform of income distribution will add further substance to talk of fairness.

The session's decision to submit the proposal to revise the Party charter to the upcoming 18th CPC National Congress, which begins Thursday, will display the latest progress in the CPC's governance philosophy.

Since they took over the relay baton from their immediate predecessors 10 years ago, the current CPC leaders have accumulated precious experience. The congress will carry forward and put into practice what the Party has learnt from that experience.

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