It is noteworthy that the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is paying close attention to history and the continuation of the Party's policies.

General Secretary Hu Jintao used "forever remember" three times in his report to the congress when he spoke about the great course of China's reform and opening up.

The first remember was laying the foundation for reform and opening up. Viewed from the macro aspect, the foundation consisted of not only political and systematic factors for the progress and development of modern China, but also precious experience by exploring the rules of building socialism.

The second remember was the initiator of the reform and opening up. The Party's second generation leadership, with Deng Xiaoping at the helm, dispensed with the theory and practice of class struggle and shifted the focus on economic construction and the implementation of the reform and opening up policies. It is they who blew the trumpet for building socialism with Chinese characteristics and national rejuvenation.

The third remember was those who further promoted the reform and opening up drive. The third generation of the Party's leadership received assignments at an important historical juncture. Faced with the severe test of political turmoil coupled with economic risks, they insisted on the reform and opening up and advanced with the times. They helped China become a socialist market economy and enter the arena of economic globalization.

"Drinking the water while remembering the well-digger" is a Chinese saying adhered to by all ordinary people. Likewise, in Chinese history, generally speaking, the policies of continuation and heritage are usually deemed as one of the symbols of social stability.

In fact, historical heritage and the continuation of policies actually do not show the inaction of the successors, but highlights the broad mindset, insightful wisdom as well as correct views toward history and scientific development. The correct view of history is not to sever it, while the premise of scientific development is to advance with the times based on heritage.

It is because of the correct grasp of the relationship between heritage and development that we can see in General Secretary Hu's report that the CPC Central Committee has a clear view on the much-concerned question of how to make China's economy grow fast and sound - a combination of "insistence" and "change".

We not only insist on taking the road to new industrialization and expansion of domestic demand, but also making efforts to boost three changes in our economic growth models.

The changes are as follows: from dependence on the growth of investment and exports to the coordinated growth of consumption, investment and exports; from dependence on the drive of the secondary industry to that of the first, second and third industries; from dependence on the consumption of resources to technological progress, the improved quality of the workforce and management.

The author is a researcher with China Foundation for International and Strategic Studies

(China Daily 10/19/2007 page9)