President Hu Jintao placed unprecedented importance on ecological progress on Thursday.

In his report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, he underscored the huge environmental challenges facing the world's second-largest economy after decades of spectacular growth.

He drew a parallel between ecological progress and economic and political development. "We must fully implement the overall plan for promoting economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress," Hu told the delegates at the opening of the congress.