Highlights of press conference for 19th CPC National Congress

Tuo Zhen, spokesman for the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, holds a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Oct 17, 2017. [Photo by Deng Yongan/chinadaily.com.cn]

BEIJING - Tuo Zhen, spokesman for the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held a press conference on Tuesday afternoon at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, briefing the media on the upcoming congress. Here are highlights of Tuo's remarks at the press conference.

2,280 delegates will attend Congress

A total of 2,280 delegates from all walks of life will attend the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which starts on Wednesday.

The Party elected 2,287 delegates before the Congress, but seven of them did not pass the final review by the delegate credential committee. "The qualification of the 2,280 delegates is effective," Tuo said.

The qualified delegates are from various sectors, including the economy, education, health and justice, and are from all levels of society. For example, 33.8 percent of the delegates come from grassroots departments, 3.3-percentage points higher than the figure of the last Congress, according to Tuo. (Read more)

China will stick to opening up

China will stick to the opening-up policy and further expand market access to foreign investors, Tuo said.

Tuo said opening up is a basic State policy.

He cited President Xi Jinping, saying that China will not make changes to the basic policy, and will not make changes to the commitments to provide better services to foreign investors.

The State Council, the cabinet, released documents in January and August, and local governments have introduced measures to attract more foreign capital, according to Tuo.

He said there will be renewed efforts to attract foreign investors in the future as the opening up and reform continues.

"The goal is to see a win-win result and common development," he said. (Read more)

China will never deviate from the course of reform

China has set a clear direction for advancing reform and "will never deviate from this course", Tuo said.

"Reform is an ongoing process, and there is never an end (in the pursuit of the reform)," Tuo said.

China is firm in taking reform forward and will not slow its pace, he added.

Tuo said it will facilitate strategic deployment for reform and development during the coming five years, and beyond, allow for the planning and advancement of reform at a higher starting point and will unswervingly carry reform forward to the end.

Tuo noted that the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform was established and headed by Xi Jinping, general secretary of CPC Central Committee.

Xi has made plans for and guided the reform, and has chaired 38 meetings of the Leading Group, Tuo said.

A range of symbolic, guiding key measures for reform was introduced and enacted, and the overall framework for reform has been basically established, Tuo added. (Read more)

CPC pledges to keep fighting corruption

The Communist Party of China will fight against corruption with greater determination, courage and endeavor, as comprehensively and strictly governing the Party is never the end of a journey, Tuo said.

The country has witnessed several serious and significant corruption cases in recent years, including Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, Guo Boxiong, Xu Caihou, Sun Zhengcai and Ling Jihua, and they have been punished in accordance with the national laws and the Party's disciplines, according to Tuo.

All the officials mentioned above were former members of the CPC Central Committee. "This means any Party member who violates the disciplines and laws will be punished, no matter how high his or her position is," Tuo said.

To fight corruption, the Party has strengthened its internal construction at the same time, he said, adding the Party formulated and revised 90 internal regulations over the past few years. (Read more)