The 17th National Congress

Date: October 15-21,2007

Place: Beijing

Number of delegates: 2,213 delegates and 57 specially invited delegates

Party membership: 74 million

The theme of the congress is to hold high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents, thoroughly apply the Scientific Outlook on Development, continue to emancipate the mind, persist in reform and opening up, pursue development in a scientific way, promote social harmony, and strive for new victories in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.

The opening ceremony of the congress was presided over by Comrade Wu Bangguo. On behalf of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee, Comrade Hu Jintao delivered a report to the congress entitled Hold High the Great Banner of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and Strive for New Victories in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in all Respects. The congress adopted Resolution on the Report of the 16th CPC Central Committee, Resolution on the Amendment to the Constitution of the Communist Party of China (which took effect immediately), and Resolution on the Work Report of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The Seventeenth CPC Central Committee, composed of 204 members and 167 alternate members, as well as the new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and its 127 members were elected through anonymous voting.

The First Plenum of the 17th CPC Central Committee elected Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang to be members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau. Hu Jintao was re-elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and was elected chairman of the Central Military Commission. The session also approved He Guoqiang as secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

By 2006, when China had taken steps to implement the last of its key WTO commitments, China’s policy shift became more evident. It was at this time that USTR began reporting on Chinese government policies and practices that demonstrated a stronger embrace of state capitalism, a trend that continued into 2012, the last full year under the Chinese leaders who had taken over in 2003. USTR also reported that some of these policies and practices suggested that China had not yet fully embraced key WTO principles, such as market access, nondiscrimination and transparency. Exacerbating this situation was China’s incomplete adoption of the rule of law, including through government officials’ abuse of administrative processes.