A total of 2,217 delegates have been elected to the upcoming 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), including President Hu Jintao and other seven incumbent members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

The delegates were elected by more than 70 million CPC members nationwide, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee said in Beijing Thursday.

The Party's 17th National Congress will be held in the second half of 2007 in Beijing. The delegates were elected by local electoral units across the country from April to June.

The number of delegates to the 17th CPC National Congress is about 100 more than the 16th congress.

The delegates include not only Party leaders at various levels, but also grass-roots members from all walks of life, according to the department.

"Each delegate came through strict electoral procedures," said the department in a news release.

However, the department said that the delegates still have to pass a following qualification check to get final approval to attend the congress.

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2007)