"PROFOUND, FUNDAMENTAL" CHANGES

Summarizing progress made by the CPC over the past five years, the communique said China has witnessed profound and fundamental changes during the period, while its ach

ievements are comprehensive and groundbreaking.

These historic changes and achievements indicate that China's development stands at a new historical starting point, which is of great and far-reaching significance for the cause of the Party and the country, according to the communique.

The plenary session summarized the work of the past five years since the 18th CPC National Congress and held that the five years was an "extraordinary" period.

China has made historic achievements in reform and opening up, as well as socialist modernization, it said.

Over the past five years, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core raised a series of new concepts, thoughts and strategies, formulated a string of important guidelines and policies and rolled out many significant measures, it said.

Many deep-rooted problems and issues that were too difficult to be resolved before have been addressed during that period, which promoted the historic changes for the cause of the Party and the country, according to the document.

"The country also saw major achievements in economic development and major breakthroughs in comprehensively deepening reform. Democratic and legal system construction has taken great steps. Ideological and cultural construction has made important progress. People's living standards have constantly improved," it said.

"The ecological environment has been remarkably improved. The building of a strong army has made new headway. New progress was made in work related to Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan," it said.