The delegates began Friday afternoon discussing a report delivered by Jiang Zemin at the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which opened Friday.

They said the armed forces will give the important thought of Three Represents a guiding status, and speed up army building and reform.

Zhang Wannian and Chi Haotian spoke at the discussions.

Zhang said Jiang's report is a Marxist programmatic document uniting the whole Party and inspiring the people including all officers and men of the army.

"Implementation of the important thought of Three Represents is the Party's long-term strategic task and the army's primary political task," Zhang said. "This is to ensure that the army follows a correct political orientation."

Zhang stressed the PLA is the people's army under the absolute leadership of the Party.

Chi Haotian said Jiang's report is pragmatic and inspiring, and keeps pace with the times. The important thought of Three Represents is a guiding theory the Party must persist in for a long period of time to come, he said.

The important thought has major theoretical, political and practical value, and will be followed to improve the working style of Party committees in the army, Chi said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2002)