BEIJING - Hu Jintao said on Thursday that the Communist Party of China (CPC) must strengthen governance capacity and resist corruption in order to consolidate its position as the governing party.

Under new conditions, the Party faces complicated and severe long-term tests in exercising governance, carrying out reform and opening up and developing the market economy as well as tests from the external environment, Hu said in his keynote speech at the opening of the CPC's 18th National Congress.

The whole Party is also confronted with increasingly grave dangers of lacking in drive, incompetence, being out of touch with the people, corruption and other misconduct, he said.

"We should steadily improve the Party's art of leadership and governance; and increase its ability to resist corruption, prevent degeneration and ward off risks -- this is a major issue the Party must solve in order to consolidate its position as the governing party and carry out its mission of governance," Hu said.

All Party members must heighten their sense of urgency and sense of responsibility and focus on strengthening the Party's governance capacity, advanced nature and purity, Hu told more than 2,200 delegates gathered in the Great Hall of the People for the once-every-five-year meeting.

The whole Party must bear in mind that only by taking root among the people and delivering benefits to them can the Party remain invincible, and that only by being on guard against adversity in times of peace and forging boldly ahead can the Party remain in the forefront of the times, he said.

The Party should continue to free up its minds and carry out reform and innovation, and uphold the principle that the Party should supervise its own conduct and run itself with strict discipline.

The CPC should make all-around efforts to strengthen the Party theoretically and organizationally and improve its conduct. It also should enhance its capacity for self-purity, self-improvement, self-development and self-innovation and build the Party into an innovative, service-oriented and learning Marxist governing party, Hu said.

"By taking these steps, we can ensure that the Party is always the firm leadership core guiding the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics," he said.