Hu Jintao, Chinese President and General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has said the key to successfully handling affairs in China lies in the CPC. Hu's remarks were echoed by Bidisha Ershad, Adviser to the President of the Bangladesh National Party, who attributed the rapid growth of the Chinese economy to the CPC's leadership.

At a welcome banquet for delegates attending the ICAPP Friday, Hu said the CPC led the Chinese people through 28 years of arduous struggle to overthrow imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism, which together "weighed like mountains on the backs of the people" in the early 20th century.

After the founding of new China in mid-century, a broad avenue was opened for the country and its people to thrive and prosper, Hu acknowledged.

In the past 20-plus years, the CPC has united and led the people in keeping to the road of "socialism with Chinese characteristics," unswervingly carried forward reform and opening to the outside world, developed China's socialist market economy and pressed ahead with its modernization drive.

In general, he noted, the Chinese people have achieved a moderately prosperous standard of living.

Pashupati Shumshere JBR, president of the National Democratic Party of Nepal, said that under the leadership of the CPC, China's economic and social development have made strides forward, bringing about speedy economic growth.

Abdollah Al Ahmar of the Arab Baath Socialist Party of Syria, which has been deeply touched by the governing experience of the CPC in the past 55 years, said the CPC's great achievements could be divided into three parts -- leading the Chinese people to national independence and liberation, leading the Chinese people to overcome difficulties and enrich the nation and launching the opening-up policy.

The great achievements made by China in the past 26 years under the leadership of the CPC have left deep impression on the Myanmar delegates, who said that since 1978, China has kept its economy growing at an average annual rate of eight percent. The growth rate reached 9.7 percent in the first half of this year. Currently, Chinese per capita GDP has surpassed 1,000 US dollars, they said.

After entering the 21st century, the CPC brought forward the ideas to put people first and to maintain comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development, which put the development of China's economy and society on the track of more balance.

To step up the building of CPC's governing capability has become a strategic policy for the CPC to face new situation and new tasks.

Mukhiddiu Kabirov, First Vice President of the Party of Islamic Revival of Tajikistan, said the CPC has pursued correct policies and taken successful measures to improve the social situation of China. Meanwhile, the CPC constantly improves itself to adapt to changing situations. This is the reason, he said, that it has survived and become stronger.

At the opening ceremony of the ICAPP on Friday, Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong said that promoting peace, stability, development and prosperity of Asia and the world is a fixed objective of the Chinese government and the CPC.

China will always hold high the banner of peace, development and cooperation, adhere to an independent foreign policy of peace and take the road of peaceful development, he said, adding China will never seek hegemony or expansion.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who is also the Vice President of the Cambodian People's Party, said the modernization of China in the areas of economy, society and politics indicates Asia has come into a "new century." China is the engine to boost the economic development of East Asia and a greater China will benefit the region, he said.

Htay Oo, General Secretary of Myanmar's Union Solidarity and Development Association, said the comprehensive development of China is conducive to the development of other countries in Asia.

Since its founding in 1921, the CPC has developed a set of governing ideas, known as "socialism with Chinese characteristics." While raising productivity inside the country, China adheres to the policy of peace in the international arena.

Although the situation changes from time to time, the governing policies of the CPC always connect with the development tides and the basic interests of people.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, also President of the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRTP), said the different ideologies between the CPC and the TRTP do not preclude the common goal of improving people's lives.

The TRTP has much to learn from the CPC, not only about macro-economic control, but from its connection with common people, Thaksin added.

According to the statistics from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC now has a membership of 68.232 million with 3.451 million grass-roots organizations.
 
Hu Jintao said at the welcome banquet for delegates attending the third ICAPP that the CPC will unswervingly carry forward reform and opening to the outside world in an effort to safeguard world peace and promote common development. This is the commitment the CPC made at the ICAPP to both the Chinese people and the world at large.

(Xinhua News Agency September 5, 2004)