China a step closer to centenary goals

President Xi Jinping has offered new guidance and arrangements on reaching the country's first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects by 2020 to celebrate the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Xi also presented ideas for accomplishing the second centenary goal to build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious by the middle of the 21st century in time for the centenary of the People's Republic of China.

Since ancient times, writers have recorded the Chinese people's desire to build a moderately prosperous society.

After the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the Party drew up a four-pronged comprehensive strategy -- building an all-round moderately prosperous society, deepening reform, advancing the rule of law and strict governance of the CPC.

The CPC has implemented the development concept, and adopted an overall approach for economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress.

During the past five years, Xi has promised extensive supply-side structural reform, including major tasks such as cutting excess capacity, destocking, deleveraging, reducing costs and shoring up weak areas.

Departments under the State Council have canceled or delegated administrative approval power to lower level organs, meeting targets ahead of schedule in a move to cut red tape and streamline governance.

Achievements have also been made in judicial, fiscal and tax, state-owned enterprise, military and educational reforms.

In the CPC's fight against corruption, crushing momentum has been made in punishing both low-level "flies" and high-ranking "tigers," including Zhou Yongkang, Bo Xilai, Guo Boxiong, Xu Caihou, Sun Zhengcai and Ling Jihua.

The Chinese people are moving closer to their first goal and are looking toward the second centenary goal, while remembering Xi's remark that the people's desire for a better life will always be the country's goal.

The 19th CPC National Congress will convene in October. A total of 2,287 delegates have been elected from more than 89 million Party members to gather in Beijing to elect a new central committee.

On the path to meeting the two goals, the task remains difficult and risks and challenges continue to exist.

China must make comprehensive efforts to prevent and control major risks, alleviate poverty, curb pollution, and deepen supply-side structural reform to push forward sustained and healthy economic and social development.