The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is proposed to convene in Beijing on October 15 this year.

The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided at a meeting on Tuesday to make the proposal to the 7th Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee.

The meeting also decided that the 7th Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee will be held on October 9.

The Tuesday's meeting, presided over by Hu Jintao, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, also studied the preparatory work for these two meetings of the Party to be held in October.

The meeting said that the 17th CPC National Congress is a very important meeting to be held at a time when China has entered a key stage of reform and development.

The congress will hold high the banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, be guided with Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thoughts of "Three Represents", and thoroughly carry out the scientific concept of development.

The congress will review the Party's work in the past five years since its 16th National Congress, and summarize the precious experience the Party has gained from the historic process of uniting and leading people of all ethnic groups for building socialism with Chinese characteristics since the beginning of reform and opening up, according to the meeting.

The congress is also expected to make strategic arrangements for the overall advancement of China's reform and opening up and socialist modernization drive, as well as for the overall advancement of the grand project of Party building.

The congress will further mobilize the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups to emancipate their minds, stick to the reform and opening up, advance scientific development, promote social harmony and strive together for a new victory over the building of a well-off society in an all-round way and the new development of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

A new CPC Central Committee and a new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection will be elected at the congress.

All preparatory work for the congress is progressing smoothly at present and preparations should be continued earnestly to ensure the successful congress, according to the meeting.

The meeting approved the draft work report by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection to the Party's 17th national congress will be submitted to the 7th Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee for discussion.

The Party's national congress is held every five years. Hu Jintao was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the 16th CPC National Congress in 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2007)