A general view of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) which is opened in Beijing at 9 am on Monday to map out China's all-round development for the coming five years, October 15, 2007. [Xinhua]

As a blueprint¹ for development is discussed at the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China which starts today in Beijing, many people have a clear idea of what they want: Something that improves their daily life.

"My friends and I all know about the Party congress from newspapers and television," Wei Yijia told reporters after enjoying a blockbuster movie in the capital's busy shopping area of Wangfujing.

"The congress is very important to us because the policies discussed will have a direct impact on our everyday life, such as air quality and drinking water safety," said Wei, who works at a foreign-invested accounting² firm in Beijing.

Jiang Guilan, who is a member of a neighborhood committee in Changping District of Beijing, said food prices in supermarkets are surging, so she has to buy low-prices vegetables from street vendors³ - and hoped that leaders work out policies to lower food prices and implement⁴ them effectively.

"My concerns might seem personal and trivial, but I think they are exactly what affect the daily life of ordinary people like me," she added.

Some online surveys prior to the congress have suggested that a host of social issues ranging from employment and social security to the widening wealth gap are among the top concerns of the public.

An online poll on Chinanews.com found that the fight against corruption⁵, and soaring commodity and housing prices were the two major topics, covering nearly 45 percent of the 20,810 votes.

Problems related topeople's livelihood⁶ have been the focus of the government, especially since Premier⁷ Wen Jiabao included them in his government work report to the national legislature in March.