(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-27 21:12

BEIJING - The Second Plenary Session of the 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) closed on Wednesday with a pledge to deepen political reform.

China's political system needed improvements to keep pace with the  requirements of the country's economic and social development, the protection of democratic rights and social fairness and justice, said a communique issued after the session.

It said that the CPC must hold higher the banner of democracy, stressing, "It is a constant goal for the Party to advance socialist democracy."

Chinese President and CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao delivered an important speech at the session, held from February 25 to 27 in Beijing. Participants include 204 members of the CPC Central Committee and 167 alternate members.

According to the communique, the session approved two lists of candidates for state leaders and leading members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which will be recommended to the presidiums of the upcoming first sessions of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) and the 11th CPPCC National Committee respectively.

The CPC session also approved two documents on deepening the country's administrative system and the institutional restructuring of the State Council, the Cabinet. The latter will be submitted to the first session of the 11th NPC for deliberation.

The general goal was to form a relatively perfect socialist administrative system with China's own characteristics by 2020, the communique said.

The committee hailed the efforts and major victories in fighting the severe winter weather in parts of the country since mid-January, calling it evidence of China's political advantages.

The committee expressed concern over social issues in the sectors of education, social welfare and healthcare, and pledged to try hard to promote social harmony and ensure social stability. It called for substantial efforts to ensure the success of the forthcoming Beijing Olympic Games and Paralympics.