Party congress date set

The Communist Party's Politburo has confirmed that the national congress, which will help determine President Hu Jintao's successor, will be held on October 15, AFP reported. "[Tuesday's Politburo] meeting said that the 17th CPC National Congress is a very important meeting to be held at a time when China has entered a key stage of reform and development," the official Xinhua news agency reported. The 17th National Congress is expected to extend Hu's presidency with a second five-year term. Premier Wen Jiabao will also likely receive a second mandate. New appointments to the party's most powerful body, the nine-member Politburo Standing Committee, will be announced during the congress. These changes will position a presidential successor to take the top post when Hu steps down in 2012.