China´s ruling party vows to continue reform, opening up

Reform and opening up "accord with the aspirations of the Party membership and the people and keep up with the trend of the times. The orientation and path of reform and opening up are entirely correct," Hu said.

Wang Yukai, a noted professor with the National School of Administration, said that the reform and opening up policy is now reiterated because it is at a crucial stage.

"It is getting more and more difficult compared with three decades ago. The obstacles couldn't be overcome if we do not have a firm stand," Wang said.

"Resources, environment, income disparity and social justice are among the issues that China need to tackle to further advance reform and opening up," he said.

The reform and opening up drive was launched at the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1978, with late leader Deng Xiaoping being the "chief architect".

Between 1978 and 2006, China's gross domestic product has been growing by an average annual rate of 9.7 percent and the country has developed into the world's fourth largest economy.

China's drive of reform and opening up is hailed by the World Bank as the largest poverty reduction campaign ever launched in the world history, particularly in reducing its rural population in abject poverty. The number of extremely poor people in rural China was reduced from 250 million in 1978 to just over 20 million by the end of 2006.

Editor:Zhang Ning