Chinese 'Wish List' Before Party Congress

Chen Zheren, a resident of the city of Qidong in east China's Jiangsu Province, hopes that the upcoming 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) will result in significant progress in environmental protection.

Chen and thousands of others in Qidong were angered by a plan to build an industrial waste pipeline through the city. They assembled in large number to protest the move in July, which prompted the local government to halt the project.

The protest over environmental concerns in Qidong is not alone in China. In the latest case, thousands of residents in eastern city of Ningbo took to the street against the expansion of a petrochemical plant last month, also prompting the government to suspend the project.

"I hope the upcoming congress will address environmental issues and ensure that the 'scientific development' and 'sustainable development' policies are better implemented," said Chen.

More than 2,000 CPC delegates representing 82 million CPC members will gather on November 8 for the once-in-five-year congress. The CPC will also elect a new set of leaders, setting a new direction for the country's development in the near future.

The Chinese public has a multitude of expectations for the meeting to ignite greater reforms regarding economics, environmental protection, social well-being and many others areas.

Liu Bo, an entrepreneur from southwest China's city of Chengdu who runs his own medical company, is concerned about market access for private enterprises.

In recent years, the government has encouraged private companies to enter sectors that were once monopolized by state-owned giants. But Liu said the progress being made in the area needs to happen more quickly.