"Only socialism can save China, and only with socialism with Chinese characteristics can we develop China," the Communist Party of China (CPC), which will celebrate 55 continuous years in power in the world's most populous nation on October 1, said yesterday.

The 36-page CPC Central Committee Decision on the Enhancement of the CPC's Governance Capability, says that "we must make sure the Party's guiding ideology shall always progress with the times, and always use constantly-developing Marxism to guide our new practice."

The Party must adhere to Marxism and Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents" as its guiding ideology, while keeping on exploring the new horizon for the development of Marxist theories in its new practice, it says.

The document warns that the CPC's ruling status is by no means a natural result of the Party's founding, and will not remain forever if the Party does nothing to safeguard it. "We must develop a stronger sense of crisis, draw experience and lessons from the success and failure of other ruling parties in the world, and enhance our governance capability in a more earnest and conscientious manner," it says.

"We must continuously promote the self-improvement of socialism to add vigour and vitality to socialism," the document says, adding that the CPC must always regard development as its top priority in governing the country, as well as the key to the resolution of all problems in China.

The Plenum, which appointed Chinese President and CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao as the chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) on September 19 also says that the Party must stick to the principle of "seeking benefits for the public and governing for the people," and always maintain its flesh-and-blood links with the general public.

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"We shall resolutely combat corruption and ... make sure that the fruits of reform and development can be shared by the general public," it notes. "We shall promote people's democracy by promoting inner-Party democracy," the document pledges.

While taking note of the fast-paced economic and social progress made during the past 55 years, the CPC, now fully under the fourth generation of Chinese leaders under Hu Jintao said that the party will continue to take economic development as the top priority in governing the country and rejuvenating the nation.

The document says that the foremost task in the capacity building is to improve the Party's capability to lead the development cause. The Party should firmly establish the strategic principle of seizing the opportunities to accelerate development and unswervingly persist in the central task of economic development, it says.