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CPC lays stress on social harmony

Chinese party sets 15-year agenda

BEIJING: The 16th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) concluded its 6th plenary session here on Wednesday and issued a communique highlighting the issue of social harmony.

It also set the date and venue for the party's 17th national congress in the second half of 2007 in Beijing.

The four-day plenum, in which General Secretary Hu Jintao made a keynote speech, advocated putting the construction of a socialist harmonious society at a ``more prominent position'' on its work agenda while adhering to economic development as its central task, the communique said.

Focus on development

The plenary meeting, attended by 195 Central Committee members and 152 alternate members, is the first of its kind that the party has ever held focusing on social development matters other than political and economic affairs.

``There are quite many contradictions and issues that impair social harmony'' even when China is ``a harmonious society in general,'' the document admitted. According to the communique, the party will, in the next 15 years, commit itself to improving democratic legal system and human rights protection, narrowing wealth gap, increasing employment, improving public service of the Government, promoting people's moral standards, securing public order and protecting the environment.

To achieve these goals, the plenum stressed that more efforts shall be made to coordinate economic and social development, promote social equity and justice, form a set of common aspirations, ideals and moral codes for the whole society, strengthen social affairs management and services, and create harmonious social relations for the unity of all the Chinese people.

While calling for efforts to promote economic growth, the party also stressed the importance of erecting a new set of common values in the market economy-based society in the making.

Political analysts said the CPC meeting's focus on social harmony would be helpful to resolve the pressing issues in China, and will provide theoretical guidance for national development in the long run. — Xinhua

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