BEIJING - "Reform" appeared more than 80 times in President Hu Jintao's report delivered on Nov 8 at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Deepening reform and opening up is the only solution to multiple hurdles and challenges China faces at this critical development stage and in this crucial social transformation period.

Reform and opening up, initiated more than 30 years ago, has enabled China to complete an historical transformation from a highly concentrated, planned economy to a vigorous socialist market economy, as well as from a closed and semi-closed economy to an open one in all respects.

History has sufficiently proven that without reform and opening up, modern China's development and progress would not have come to fruition.

Reform and opening up are the path to a stronger China. The country's rapid development over the past 30-plus years has hinged on reform and opening up, and its future development must unswervingly depend on reform and opening up as well.

Standing still or moving backward are not options.

China's development and advancement trend has been progressing quickly, but the road ahead won't be without its bumps.

The country faces a great deal of hardships and salient problems, such as unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable economic and social development and large income and development gaps between urban and rural areas and among different regions and social groups.

There is also a relatively large amount of social ills concerning the immediate interests of the masses. Dishonesty and a lack of integrity have dominated some fields. Some officials have adhered to a bureaucratic work style while failing to grasp skills for scientific development. Corruption has run rampant in some sectors.

To address these problems, China must deepen reform, enhance institutional innovation, conquer adversities and override difficulties to maintain the vibrancy of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development, a period in which much can be achieved. Reform and opening up are crucial to adhering to and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Therefore, we must persevere in reform and opening up.

To reform and open up China, decision-makers must emancipate their ?minds.

China is at an economic and social transformation period, with economic, social and vested interest structures and values undergoing profound changes. Economic and cultural rejuvenation work is an arduous task as these areas were so backward.

These changes require further emancipating the mind, losing no time in deepening reform in key sectors and getting rid of all disadvantages in views, values, systems and mechanisms that hinder scientific development. All of these efforts are for the construction of a complete, scientific and efficient system to ensure the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The ultimate goal of reform and opening up is to improve people's livelihood, which echoes the aim of completing the building of a moderately prosperous society by 2020.

In order to realize the goals set forth at the 18th national congress, the Party's leadership raised requirements for reform in economic, political, cultural, social and ecological arenas.

To promote reform in these five areas, both long- and short-term goals should be considered, and policies should be formulated scientifically and democratically so people's immediate interests are not harmed for the sake of realizing long-term goals.

Meanwhile, these efforts should ensure that the masses always share in the fruits of reform and development.

The CPC has promoted the reform of modern China, maturing along the path of reform.

Meanwhile, the newly amended CPC Constitution adds, "Only reform and opening up can enable China, socialism and Marxism to develop themselves." This will help the entire Party gain a deeper understanding of the significance of adhering to reform and opening up.

The Party should be strict with itself and proactively and calmly deal with various tests and dissolve perils so that it can maintain an advanced and pure nature and lead the nation to embark on reform.