All set for CPC Congress

The 17th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Thursday held their last plenary meeting in Beijing, as the whole country gears up for the upcoming 18th National Congress of the CPC on November 8.

The Central Committee, which has more than 360 members and alternate members, decided on the final version of a work report and a draft amendment of the CPC Constitution, which will be submitted to the 18th Party Congress for deliberation by delegates.

Participants at the meeting also reviewed the draft work report of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, which will also be submitted to the upcoming Party Congress.

Zhang Yaocan, a professor of political science with Central China Normal University, told the Global Times Thursday that the seventh plenary session was held to make final preparations for the 18th Party Congress.

According to Zhang, before the plenum, the work report and draft amendment of the Party Constitution were deliberated upon by a small circle, and the last deliberation by the 17th CPC Central Committee put them into their final forms.

The drafts were deliberated over by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on October 22.

"Members of the 17th Central Committee have accomplished their mission, but their tenure will not officially come to an end until a new Central Committee is elected at the 18th Party Congress," said Zhang.

While senior Party officials finalized their paperwork for the 18th CPC National Congress, various sectors across the country have also been busy preparing for the key event, which will set a new direction for the country's development in the near future.

The media center for the 18th Party Congress Thursday launched its official website to offer services for both domestic and overseas press and readers.

The site, www.cpcnews.cn, feeds journalists and readers with the Congress agenda, latest news, announcements and background information on past CPC national Congresses in both Chinese and English.

All the major news portals have rolled out special coverage of the event, reviewing progress made during the past decade and looking at the future path of development. Some even posted links to the microblogs of delegates to the Congress.

The capital has tightened security in the run-up to the event.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, vehicles carrying toxic or dangerous chemicals will not be allowed to enter the municipality from Thursday to November 18. The valid term for vehicles registered outside Beijing to stay in the city will also be shortened to three days from seven days, according to the city's traffic management bureau.

A Global Times reporter Thursday discovered that vehicles from local police, procuratorate organs and the people's court were stationed in front of the Beijing South Railway Station, a major traffic hub in the city.

The Beijing subway authorities also beefed up security checks for passengers. A Global Times reporter found that for each subway train, at least two staff members from the subway were being assigned to maintain security.

A cab driver told the Global Times Thursday that his company had demanded that they all lock their windows and doors while navigating through key areas such as Chang'an Avenue and Tiananmen Square before and during the 18th Party Congress, in case passengers drop leaflets through the windows.

Retired citizens in the capital have also been mobilized by neighborhood committees to help maintain order before and during the meeting.

The volunteers, who wear a red armband with characters "security patrol," a red vest and a red cap, could be seen at many major crossroads. At a section along Chang'an Avenue, a pair of senior volunteers could be found every 10 meters.