(excerpts from AP report)

Chinese Communist Party leader Hu Jintao pledged Monday to make the government more open, responsive and law-abiding while moderating the fast-growing economy to produce more balanced and environmentally sound growth.

Opening a pivotal party congress in Beijing, Hu outlined policies intended to make China more prosperous and stable by raising incomes and improving the party's management while dealing with a fast-changing Chinese society.

"Contemporary China is going through a wide-ranging and deep-going transformation. This brings us unprecedented opportunities as well as unprecedented challenges," Hu told the more than 2,200 delegates gathered in the Great Hall of the People for the meeting.

In the far-ranging speech that lasted more than two hours and 20 minutes, Hu also promised to continue the modernization bid of China's military, emphasized Beijing's preference for a peaceful reunification between the mainland and Taiwan, and pledged to use China's economic and diplomatic clout as a force for peace internationally.

In his report to the congress, Hu dwelled on his signature policy, a push to re-channel breakneck development by spreading the benefits of economic successes more evenly.

"A relatively comfortable standard of living has been achieved for the people as a whole but the trend of a growing gap in income distribution has not been thoroughly reversed," Hu said.

"There are still a considerable number of impoverished and low-income people in both urban and rural areas, and it has become more difficult to accommodate the interests of all sides."

"During this period, China's overall strength grew considerably and the people enjoyed more tangible benefits. China's international standing and influence rose notably," Hu said.

Hu said that government advisory bodies that include nonparty members would be given a greater role in forming policies and called on local governments to hold public hearings before adopting regulations that impact people's lives. He urged greater transparency to root out corruption.