A grand rally to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) was held in Beijing on Friday morning.

The CPC also summarized its educational campaign on maintaining the vanguard character of CPC members, launched in January of 2005, at the rally.

All the nine members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee attended the rally.

Hu Jintao, who is General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a speech at the rally.

Hu summarized the glorious achievements of the party over the past 85 years, experiences of its success and issues facing the party. He called on all party members to keep the vanguard character and continue to work for the development of the country.

The CPC Central Committee issued awards to outstanding grass-roots organizations of the party, outstanding party members and party members that had made outstanding contributions to party work, at the rally.

The CPC was founded on July 1, 1921. Since then, it has grown from a small party of 50-plus members to a party with more than 70 million members.

Hu said an important factor of the CPC's long-time governing status in a country of 1.3 billion people lies in the party's strict administration of party affairs and constant emphasis on party-building.

He said the educational campaign of the party on maintaining the vanguard character of CPC members has achieved marked results. Continuous efforts should be made in this field as strengthening the vanguard character of the party is a long-term historic task.

"All party members, especially the leading cadres at various levels, should firmly establish scientific world outlook, outlook on life and value and correct outlook on power, status and interests," said Hu.

He urged party members to always use their power for the people, care about the people and work to benefit the people.

"Hot issues and difficult issues facing the masses should always be made the emphasis of our work," said Hu.

China National Radio, China Central Television and China Radio International carried out live broadcast of the rally.

Two major news Website, xinhuanet.com and people.com.cn, also carried out real-time webcast of the event.

Source: Xinhua