The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened on Thursday at "the decisive stage of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects."
Leader Hu Jintao on Thursday said the CPC must make unremitting efforts to combat corruption, promote integrity and stay vigilant against degeneration.
Hu said combating corruption and promoting political integrity, which is a major political issue of great concern to the people, is a clear-cut and long-term political commitment of the Party.
"If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the Party, and even cause the collapse of the Party and the fall of the state," Hu warned in a keynote report at the opening of the 18th CPC National Congress.
Hu said the CPC must maintain a tough position in cracking down on corruption at all times, conduct thorough investigations into major corruption cases and work hard to resolve problems of corruption that directly affect the people.
"All those who violate Party discipline and state laws, whoever they are and whatever power or official positions they have, must be brought to justice without mercy," he said.
He asked leading officials of the Party to exercise strict self-discipline and strengthen supervision over their families and staff.
"Leading officials at all levels, especially high-ranking officials, must readily observe the code of conduct on clean governance and report all important matters," Hu said.
Hu also emphasised centralised leadership of the CPC, saying that no one is allowed to place oneself above the Party organisation.
Centralised leadership of the Party is the source of its strength and a fundamental guarantee for China' s economic and social development, ethnic unity and progress, and enduring peace and stability, Hu said.
Party organisations at all levels and all Party members and officials, particularly principal leading officials, must willingly abide by the Party Constitution as well as its organisational principles and guiding principles for its political activities.
All Party organisations and members must resolutely uphold the authority of the Central Committee and maintain a high degree of unity with it theoretically, politically and in action, Hu said.
Jiang Zemin, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang were present at the opening ceremony of the congress, along with about 2,300 delegates and specially invited delegates.
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."
Source: Xinhua