(LIAO PAN)

Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese President, delivers a keynote report at the opening ceremony of the 18th CPC National Congress in Beijing on November 8.

In the report, titled Firmly March on the Path of Socialism With Chinese Characteristics and Strive to Complete the Building of a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects, Hu laid out guiding principles for China's future development.

More than 2,300 elected and specially invited delegates attended the opening ceremony.

The five-yearly congress elects a new CPC central leadership. A total of 2,732 Chinese and foreign journalists registered to cover the weeklong event, which ends on November 14.