Yesterday's keynote speech by Hu Jintao, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), will serve as a guideline by which CPC leads the Chinese people in building a well-off society, Party delegates have said.

Hu, also the head of state, made the speech on Monday to more than 2,200 delegates at the opening ceremony of the 17th National Congress of the CPC in Beijing.

Delegate Li Keqiang, Party Secretary of Northeast China's Liaoning Province supported the overall policy direction in which Hu intends to lead the Party.

Li Keqiang

Xi Jinping

"The speech provides a clear answer to which banner it is that China should hold, which road China should take, what kind of mental power China should have and what goal China should aim for," Li said in a group discussion.

Other delegates spoke highly of the theory of the Scientific Outlook on Development highlighted in Hu's speech. The Scientific Outlook on Development is to "put development as its essence and put the people first as its core."

It also takes comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development as a basic requirement and overall consideration as its fundamental approach.

"Being part of the theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics that stand alongside Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of Three Represents by Jiang Zemin, the Scientific Outlook on Development is the next succession built upon the three generations of Party leadership," delegate Xi Jinping said.

Xi, Party secretary of Shanghai Municipality, added the speech sets the direction for Shanghai's development. "Shanghai will pursue reform and opening-up to continue contributions to the construction of a well-off society," Xi said.