Chinese President Jiang Zemin has been making an inspection tour for Party building and high-tech development in south China's economic powerhouse Guangdong Province in the past five days.

Jiang, also General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chairman of the Central Military Committee, stressed during his tour that the CPC is now playing a crucial role in all aspects of China, and the improvement of Party building should be given top priority.

He said that as long as the CPC continues to represent the correct social trends and benefits the majority, it will be supported by all the people of China and will be never defeated.

In Shenzhen, one of China's special economic zones set up 20 years ago, Jiang showed his satisfaction with the huge social and economic progress made there during the past two decades under the reform and opening-up policy.

"Shenzhen's story illustrates the superiority of socialism and the party's leadership, and facts have shown that our reform and opening-up policy are successful and completely correct," Jiang said.

"We have made great achievements, and it is necessary to let the people, especially those in relatively developed regions, know how these achievements were made," Jiang said.

He added that it was the Party's wise leadership and the socialist system, along with the correct guidelines given by the late leader Deng Xiaoping, that guaranteed such achievements.

Yesterday afternoon Jiang presided over a meeting on Party building in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, and pointed out that more than 70 years of the CPC history had demonstrated that the only way to win people's support is to spare no effort in the struggle to benefit both the country and the people.

"All our efforts are to liberate and develop social productivity," Jiang said. "So all our decisions, policies, and guidelines should be made to strengthen our economy and promote social developments."

Jiang stressed that all Party members should remember in their hearts that the CPC is always the representative of advanced social productivity, correct cultural and social trends, and the benefit of the majority of the Chinese people.

He said that a qualified Party member should serve the people heart and soul, and never act against the will and benefit of the masses.

As a Party with more than 60 million members, the CPC should now give top priority to improving its building so that it meets the demands of the new circumstances, Jiang said.

Jiang also showed that he pays great attention to economic restructuring and the development of high and new technology industries during his inspection tour. Jiang compared China's current situation with that a century ago, saying that better political and social conditions provide golden opportunities for the developments of China's high-tech sector.

China now is fully capable of catching up with the world's advanced level in the high-tech sector, and in social and economic developments in general, Jiang said.

He added that in doing so the relatively developed eastern region of the country may achieve modernization earlier, and this will enable it to make contributions to the rest of the country.

Jiang noted that in the 21st century China's economic development must rely mainly on scientific innovation and institutional restructuring.

"In this sense, our task to further the reform and opening-up, as well as the modernization process, will be even more difficult," he said.

He asked related departments to restructure the economy through scientific and technological progress, and establish and improve a whole array of systems and mechanisms for the socialist market economy.

Speaking of the current national campaign to develop western China, Jiang said this is a strategic decision made by the CPC Central Committee to promote China's development in the new century.

He then urged the east to give more financial, technological, expertise and management assistance to the west.

"The development of the west will also bring new market opportunities to the east," he said.

Jiang said that along with economic development, greatly enhancing ethical and cultural progress is another urgent and important task for the entire Party.

He asked all officials and Party members to maintain the spirit of austerity and hard work, and make every effort to prevent all corruption and crime.