beijing chinese president xi jinping wednesday lay confident vision prosperous nation role world stress importance wipe corruption curb industrial overcapacity income inequality pollution open critical communist party congress xi pledge build modern socialist country new era proudly chinese steadfastly rule party open world although wide-ranging address make clear plan political reform xi say china development enter new era use phrase 36 time speech run nearly 3-1/2 hours decades hard work socialism chinese characteristics cross threshold new era xi say twice-a-decade event weeklong mostly closed-door conclave culminate selection new politburo stand committee rule china 1.4 billion people next five years xi expect consolidate control potentially retain power beyond 2022 next congress take place 64-year-old xi widely regard powerful chinese leader since mao zedong speak 2,000 delegate beijing 's cavernous red-carpeted great hall people include 91-year-old former president jiang zemin security tight rainy smoggy day capital expect speech heavy aspiration short specific plan economy xi say china would relax market access foreign investment expand access service sector deepen market-oriented reform exchange rate financial system time strengthen state firm xi first term china disappoint many investors expect usher market-oriented reform especially debt-laden state sector xi get political mandate expect congress hope state sector reform actually get do damien fellow associate director u.s. thinktank paulson institute tell reuters global market forum would also revise assessment state reform china talk beijing state sector focus 19th party congress need see european union chamber commerce china say welcome commitments open wide door treat company equally say european company operate china continue suffer promise fatigue cure promise implementation say statement probably indirect reference u.s. president donald trump america first policy xi promise china would fully engage world reiterate pledge tackle climate change trump year opt withdraw unite state paris climate pact country alone address many challenge face mankind country afford retreat self-isolation xi tell delegate among buddhist monks olympic medallists farmers least one astronaut xi set bold long-term goals china development envision basically modernise socialist country 2035 modern socialist strong power lead influence world stage 2050. signal would significant political reform call china system broad genuine effective way safeguard interest people xi oversee sweep crackdown civil society lock right lawyers dissidents tighten internet control seek revitalise communist party place contemporary china mechanically copy political systems countries say must unwaveringly uphold improve party leadership make party still strong xi praise party successes particularly high-profile anti-graft campaign million officials punish dozens former senior officials jail say would never end corruption grave threat party face self-ruled taiwan claim beijing xi say china would never allow island separate china add china would strive fully transform arm force world-class military mid-21st century make mention neighbour north korea anger beijing repeat nuclear ballistic missile test defiance u.n. sanction pyongyang send congratulatory message ahead meet xi consolidate power swiftly since assume party leadership 2012 lock rival corruption restructure military assert china rise might world stage focus congress xi plan use expand authority move enable stay leadership capacity second term end 2022. could include resurrect position party chairman title would put par mao found father modern china aspects right track next chairman mao su shengcheng delegate northwestern province qinghai tell reuters lead party central committee continue way success major set-piece events capital beijing blanket security run-up congress long queue passengers subway station wait go metal detectors pat large red banners plaster around beijing trumpet congress censor step already tight monitor internet tencent hold ltd wechat china top social media platform 960 million users say late tuesday system maintenance would render users unable alter profile picture nickname tag line month-end disable feature sporadically use show solidarity popular social political cause china 's xi lay vision 'new era lead 'still strong communist party