The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) opened here at 9 a.m. on Monday to map out China's all-round development for the coming five years.

Hu Jintao will deliver a report on behalf of the 16th CPC Central Committee, which will be examined at the five yearly gathering.

High on its agenda is a draft amendment to the Party Constitution to reflect the scientific outlook on development and new achievements in the Party's theoretical innovation and progress in practice.

The congress will elect the Party's 17th Central Committee that will decide CPC's new leadership lineup for the coming few years, spokesman for the congress Li Dongsheng said at a press briefing on Sunday.

The congress, which will last for seven days till next Sunday, will also elect a new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li said.

There are 38 delegations, grouping more than 2,000 delegates from nationwide, to the congress, which is regarded as the most important political event in China in five years.

A preparatory meeting on Sunday appointed Zeng Qinghong, 68, assecretary-general of the congress.

Four senior Party leaders were selected by the 237-member Presidium as deputy secretaries-general, namely Liu Yunshan, Zhou Yongkang, He Guoqiang and Wang Gang.

(Xinhua News Agency October 15, 2007)