The 4th Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chongqing Municipal Committee convened in this expansive metropolitan area on Monday to outline the city's blueprint for the next five years after the removal of former Party secretary Bo Xilai.

During the five-day meeting, more than 700 delegates will hear and deliberate a report given by Party secretary Zhang Dejiang, elect a new CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and elect delegates to attend the 18th CPC National Congress later this year.

Monday marks the 15th anniversary of Chongqing's founding as a municipality directly under the central government, the fourth established after Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.

Chongqing has a population of 33 million who are mostly farmers living outside the main urban areas. It is located in the country's relatively backward southwest.

"The past 15 years was a period when Chongqing's overall strength achieved the fastest growth, its urban and rural areas experienced the biggest changes, and its people received the most benefits in its history," Zhang told the congress.

However, he acknowledged, "Meanwhile, we must note that the Wang Lijun incident, the death of Neil Heywood and the serious disciplinary violations of comrade Bo Xilai have greatly tarnished the image of the Party and the nation and have had a grave impact on Chongqing's reform and development."

Zhang, also a member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and vice premier, replaced Bo to become the city's top official in March after the former Party secretary came under suspicion of being involved in serious disciplinary violations. Bo's membership in the CPC's Central Committee and its Political Bureau has been suspended. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has filed his case for investigation.

Bo's wife, Bo-Gu Kailai, and Zhang Xiaojun, an orderly at their home, have been transferred to judicial authorities on suspicion of murdering British citizen Neil Heywood in Chongqing in November 2011.

The alleged murder of Neil Heywood was exposed in February after Wang Lijun, Chongqing's former vice mayor, entered without authorization the U.S. general consulate in Chengdu, a neighboring city of Chongqing. The incident prompted an investigation ordered by central authorities.

"We must strictly separate Chongqing's achievements over the past five years and the painstaking efforts of local officials and residents from the three cases. On the other hand, we must sincerely draw lessons from those cases and earnestly improve our work," according to Zhang.

In outlining the city's future for the next five years, Zhang vowed, "We will endeavor to deepen reform and opening-up and comprehensively push for economic, political, cultural, social, ecological and Party construction.

"We will strive to take the lead in the country's western regions to achieve the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way by 2017."

The Party secretary elaborated that Chongqing should excel among western provinces and regions in economic development, social development and living standards. He also listed a flurry of measures to achieve that goal.

The CPC Central Committee has set a goal of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way by 2020, and Zhang's report indicates that Chongqing will seek to fulfil that goal three years early.

Speaking of the building of democracy and rule of law, Zhang stressed the significance of judicial authority: "Leading cadres, in particular, should set an example in abiding by the constitution and laws. They should resolutely refrain from using their words to replace laws, using their power to replace laws and interfering in individual law cases."

Over the past 15 years, Chongqing has witnessed an average yearly growth of 12.2 percent in its economy. Its gross domestic product exceeded 1 trillion yuan (158.7 billion U.S. dollars) last year, becoming one of only seven Chinese cities to make this achievement.

But analysts warn Chongqing is facing great challenges in completing the task of building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way in 2017, as most of its residents live in countryside and mountainous areas and the construction of rural infrastructure will incur great cost.

"I believe we can make it so long as we persevere in that goal and avoid self-inflicted setbacks," said Prof. Zhou Qingxing, of the Trade and Administration School under the Chongqing University.

Ye Xiuying, a Party delegate, told Xinhua that Chongqing is in a special period and it conforms to the people's will to separate Bo from the remaining cadres and from the achievements Chongqing has made.

"As a Chongqing citizen, I think Zhang's report is practical and consolidates our confidence in the city's future," she said.