Thousands of delegates hailed general secretary's broad, ambitious and hopeful agenda for China. Below are highlights of the report.

General Secretary Xi Jinping addresses the opening session of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. (XU JINGXING / CHINA DAILY)

General Secretary Xi Jinping and former and incumbent leaders of the Communist Party of China participate in the opening session of the 19th CPC National Congress in Beijing on Wednesday. (LAN HONGGUANG / XINHUA)

Delegates to the 19th CPC National Congress applaud the report delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping on Wednesday. (XU JINGXING / CHINA DAILY)

Applying a new vision of development and developing a modernized economy

To deliver on the "Two Centenary Goals", realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, and steadily improve our people's lives, we must continue to pursue development as the Party's top priority in governance; we must unleash and develop productive forces, continue reforms to develop the socialist market economy, and promote sustained and sound economic growth.

China's economy has been transitioning from a phase of rapid growth to a stage of high-quality development. This is a pivotal stage for transforming our growth model, improving our economic structure, and fostering new drivers of growth. It is imperative that we develop a modernized economy. This is both an urgent requirement for getting us smoothly through this critical transition and a strategic goal for China's development. We must put quality first and give priority to performance. We should pursue supply-side structural reform as our main task, and work hard for better quality, higher efficiency, and more robust drivers of economic growth through reform. We need to raise total factor productivity and accelerate the building of an industrial system that promotes coordinated development of the real economy with technological innovation, modern finance, and human resources. We should endeavor to develop an economy with more effective market mechanisms, dynamic micro-entities, and sound macro-regulation.

In developing a modernized economy, we must focus on the real economy, give priority to improving the quality of the supply system, and enhance our economy's strength in terms of quality.

We will work faster to build China into a manufacturer of quality and develop advanced manufacturing, promote further integration of the internet, big data, and artificial intelligence with the real economy, and foster new growth areas and drivers of growth in medium-high-end consumption, innovation-driven development, the green and low-carbon economy, the sharing economy, modern supply chains, and human capital services.

We will move Chinese industries up to the medium-high end of the global value chain, and foster a number of world-class advanced manufacturing clusters.

Growing better at ensuring and improving people's well-being and strengthening and developing new approaches to social governance

We will promote the coordinated development of compulsory education in urban and rural areas, while giving particular attention to rural areas. We will improve preschool education, special-needs education, and online education, make senior secondary education universally available, and strive to see that each and every child has fair access to good education.

We will improve the system of vocational education and training, and promote integration between industry and education and cooperation between enterprises and colleges. We will move faster to build Chinese universities into world-class universities and develop world-class disciplines as we work to bring out the full potential of higher education.

We must give high priority to employment and pursue a proactive employment policy, striving to achieve fuller employment and create better quality jobs. We will launch vocational skills training programs on a big scale, give particular attention to tackling structural unemployment, and create more jobs by encouraging business startups. We will provide extensive public employment services to open more channels for college graduates and other young people, as well as migrant rural workers to find jobs and start their own businesses. We must remove institutional barriers that block the social mobility of labor and talent and ensure that every one of our people has the chance to pursue a career through hard work.

Visitors to Pu’er, Yunnan province, pose for photos with a local musician. The poverty rate in Pu’er dropped sharply after the city developed tourism. (LIN YIGUANG /XINHUA)

We must ensure that by the year 2020, all rural residents living below the current poverty line are out of poverty, and that poverty is eliminated in all poor counties and regions. Poverty alleviation should reach those who truly need it and deliver genuine outcomes.

We will deepen reform of the medicine and healthcare system, establish distinctively Chinese systems for providing basic healthcare, medical insurance, and quality and efficient healthcare services, and develop a sound modern hospital management system.

We will improve mechanisms for preventing and defusing social tensions and properly handle problems among the people.

We will accelerate development of the crime prevention and control system, and combat and punish in accordance with law all illegal and criminal activities.

Improving the system of institutions through which the people run the country and developing socialist democracy

China's socialist democracy is the broadest, most genuine and most effective democracy to safeguard the fundamental interests of the people.

No two political systems are entirely the same, and a political system cannot be judged in abstraction without regard for its social and political context, its history and its cultural traditions.

No one political system should be regarded as the only choice, and we should not just mechanically copy the political systems of other countries.

We will improve the way the Party exercises leadership and governance to ensure that it leads the people in effectively governing the country. We will expand the people's orderly political participation to see that in accordance with law they engage in democratic elections, consultations, decision-making, management and oversight.

We should give better play to the role of deputies to people's congresses, and enable people's congresses at all levels and their standing committees to fully perform their functions as stipulated in the Constitution.

Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference should strengthen democratic oversight ... and better represent the different social sectors and strengthen the competence of their members.

Advancing law-based governance in all fields is a profound revolution in China's governance. A central leading group for advancing law-based governance in all areas will be set up to exercise unified leadership over the initiative to build the rule of law in China. We will strengthen oversight to ensure compliance with the Constitution, advance constitutionality review and safeguard the authority of the Constitution.

The government needs to transform its functions, further streamline administration and delegate powers, develop new ways of regulation and supervision ... and build itself into a service-oriented government.

We will encourage intellectuals who are not Party members and people belonging to new social groups to play the important roles they have in building socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Building stronger cultural confidence and helping socialist culture to flourish

Culture is a country and nation's soul. Our country will thrive only if our culture thrives, and our nation will be strong only if our culture is strong. Without full confidence in our culture, without a rich and prosperous culture, the Chinese nation will not be able to rejuvenate itself. We must develop a socialist culture with Chinese characteristics, inspire the cultural creativity of our whole nation, and develop a great socialist culture in China.

We will foster democracy in academic research and artistic pursuit, and encourage originality and experimentation with new approaches in the creation of literature and art. We encourage the cultivation of fine tastes, style, and a sense of responsibility, and reject vulgarity and kitsch in literary and artistic creation. We will strengthen the professional standards of artists and writers to see the emergence of a large number of eminent figures who have moral integrity and outstanding artistic appeal, and creators of inspiring works.

To meet the people's new aspirations for a better life, we must provide them with rich intellectual nourishment. We need to deepen structural reform of the cultural sector, improve the cultural management system, and accelerate the establishment of systems and mechanisms that put social benefits first while pursuing economic returns. We will improve the public cultural service system, carry out public-interest cultural programs, and launch more popular cultural activities. We will strengthen protection and utilization of cultural relics, and better preserve and carry forward our cultural heritage.

We will improve modern systems for cultural industries and markets, explore new mechanisms for cultural production and operation, improve economic policy on the development of the cultural sector, and develop new forms of business in this sector.

We will strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges with other countries, giving prominence to Chinese culture while also drawing on other cultures. We will improve our capacity for engaging in international communication so as to tell China's stories well, present a true, multidimensional, and panoramic view of China, and enhance our country's cultural soft power.

Staying committed to the Chinese path of building strong armed forces and fully advancing the modernization of national defense and the military

We have reached a new historic starting point in strengthening national defense and the armed forces. Confronted with profound changes in our national security environment and responding to the demands of the day for a strong country with a strong military, we must fully implement the Party's thinking on strengthening the military for the new era, adapt military strategy to new conditions, build a powerful and modernized Army, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force and Strategic Support Force, develop strong and efficient joint operations commanding institutions for theater commands and create a modern combat system with distinctive Chinese characteristics. Our armed forces must be up to shouldering the missions and tasks of the new era entrusted to them by the Party and the people.

We will adapt to the trend of a new global military revolution and to national security needs; we will upgrade our military capabilities and see that, by the year 2020, mechanization is basically achieved, IT application has come a long way and strategic capabilities have seen a big improvement. In step with our country's modernization process, we will modernize our military across the board in terms of theory, organizational structure, service personnel and weaponry. We will make it our mission to see that by 2035, the modernization of our national defense and our forces is basically completed; and that by the mid-21st century our people's armed forces are fully transformed into world-class forces.

Women serving in the PLA line up for inspection in Hong Kong during President Xi Jinping’s visit to the city in June. (LI GANG / XINHUA)

We will continue to deepen national defense and military reform. We will further the reform of major policy systems, including the career officers system and the system for posting civilian personnel in the military. We will push ahead with transformation of military management, and improve and develop our distinctively Chinese socialist military institutions. We must keep it firm in our minds that technology is the core combat capability, encourage innovations in major technologies, and conduct innovations independently. We will strengthen the system for training military personnel, and make our people's forces more innovative. We will govern the military with strict discipline in every respect, push for a fundamental transformation in the way our military is run, and strengthen the role of the rule of law in enhancing national defense and military capabilities.

Speeding up reform of the system for developing an ecological civilization and building a beautiful China

We should, acting on the principles of prioritizing resource conservation and environmental protection and letting nature restore itself, develop spatial layouts, industrial structures, and ways of work and life that help conserve resources and protect the environment.

We will step up efforts to establish a legal and policy framework that promotes green production and consumption, and promote a sound economic structure that facilitates green, low-carbon, and circular development.

We will continue our campaign to prevent and control air pollution to make our skies blue again. We will speed up prevention and control of water pollution, and take comprehensive measures to improve river basins and offshore areas. We will strengthen the control of soil pollution and the restoration of polluted soil, intensify the prevention and control of agricultural pollution from non-point sources, and take measures to improve rural living environments. We will improve the treatment of solid waste and garbage.

Visitors feed waterfowl at Juyan Lake in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. (LIAN ZHEN / XINHUA)

We will carry out major projects to protect and restore key ecosystems, improve the system of shields for ecological security, and develop ecological corridors and biodiversity protection networks, so as to strengthen the quality and stability of our ecosystems.

We will strengthen overall planning, organization, and leadership for building an ecological civilization. We will establish regulatory agencies to manage State-owned natural resource assets and monitor natural ecosystems, and improve environmental management system.

Following a path of peaceful development and working to build a community with a shared future for mankind

China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation, and mutual benefit and uphold its fundamental foreign policy goal of preserving world peace and promoting common development.

We call on the people of all countries to work together to build a community with a shared future for mankind, to build an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

We should stick together through thick and thin, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, and balanced so that its benefits are shared by all.

We should respect the diversity of civilizations. We should be good friends to the environment, and cooperate to tackle climate change.

China remains firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace. We respect the right of the people of all countries to choose their own development path. We endeavor to uphold international fairness and justice, and oppose acts that impose one's will on others or interfere in the internal affairs of others, as well as the practice of the strong bullying the weak.

China will never pursue development at the expense of others' interests, but neither will China ever give up its legitimate rights and interests. No one should expect China to swallow anything that undermines its interests. China pursues a national defense policy that is in nature defensive. China's development does not pose a threat to any other country. No matter what stage of development it reaches, China will never seek hegemony or engage in expansion.

China adheres to the fundamental national policy of opening-up and pursues development with its doors open wide. China will actively promote international cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative.

China will increase assistance to other developing countries, especially the least-developed countries, and do its part to reduce the North-South development gap.

China supports the United Nations in playing an active role in international affairs, and supports the efforts of other developing countries to increase their representation and strengthen their voice in international affairs. China will continue to play its part as a major and responsible country, take an active part in reforming and developing the global governance system, and keep contributing Chinese wisdom and strength to global governance.

Upholding 'one country, two systems' and moving toward national reunification

Since Hong Kong and Macao's return to the motherland, the practice of "one country, two systems" in both regions has been a resounding success.

To maintain long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao, it is imperative to fully and faithfully implement the policies of "one country, two systems," "the people of Hong Kong governing Hong Kong", "the people of Macao governing Macao", and a high degree of autonomy for both regions. It is imperative, too, to act in strict compliance with China's Constitution and the basic laws of the two special administrative regions, and to improve the systems and mechanisms for enforcing the basic laws.

The development of Hong Kong and Macao is closely tied up with that of the mainland. We will continue to support Hong Kong and Macao in integrating their own development into the overall development of the country.

Resolving the Taiwan question to realize China's complete reunification is the shared aspiration of all Chinese people, and is in the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.

The one-China principle is the political foundation of cross-Straits relations. The 1992 Consensus embodies the one-China principle and defines the fundamental nature of cross-Straits relations; it thus holds the key to the peaceful development of relations between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. Recognize the historical fact of the 1992 Consensus and that the two sides both belong to one China, and then our two sides can conduct dialogue to address through discussion the concerns of the people of both sides, and no political party or group in Taiwan will have any difficulty conducting exchanges with the mainland.

We stand firm in safeguarding China's sovereignty and territorial integrity and will never allow the historical tragedy of national division to repeat itself. Any separatist activity is certain to meet with the resolute opposition of the Chinese people. We have the resolve, the confidence, and the ability to defeat separatist attempts for "Taiwan independence" in any form. We will never allow anyone, any organization, or any political party, at any time or in any form, to separate any part of Chinese territory from China.

Exercising strict governance over the Party and improving the Party's ability to govern and lead

The whole Party must be soberly aware that the governance environment our Party faces is complex, and that so too are the factors undermining the Party's advanced nature and purity. Prominent problems of impurity in thinking, organization and conduct in the Party have not been solved root and branch.

The primary task of political Party building is to ensure that the whole Party obeys the CPC Central Committee and upholds its authority and centralized, unified leadership.

Our top priority in building the Party through theory is to stay true to our ideals and convictions.

We will work harder to identify promising young officials ... and focus on their practical training in local communities, in work on the front line and in areas where conditions are harsh. We will ensure coordinated training and selection of female officials, officials from ethnic minorities and non-Party officials. We will pursue a more proactive, open and effective policy on training competent professionals. This will better enable us to attract bright people from both within and outside the Party and both in China and abroad.

We must work harder to address the problems that some primary-level Party organizations are weak, ineffective and marginalized.

Corruption is the greatest threat our Party faces. We must have the resolve and tenacity to persevere in the never-ending fight against corruption. We will continue to see that there are no no-go zones, no ground left unturned, and no tolerance shown for corruption. We will institute a system of disciplinary inspection for city and county level Party committees to address corruption that occurs on the people's doorsteps. Wherever offenders may flee, they will be brought back and brought to justice. We will work for the adoption of national anti-corruption legislation and create a corruption reporting platform that covers both disciplinary inspection commissions and supervision agencies.

We will deepen reform of the national supervision system, conduct trials throughout the country, and establish supervisory commissions at the national, provincial, city and county levels, which share offices and work together with the Party's disciplinary inspection commissions. A national supervision law will be formulated. The practice of shuanggui - a form of intraparty disciplinary action that requires a Party member under probe to cooperate with questioning at a designated place and a designated time - will be replaced by detention.