People's Daily, the official organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has launched an English-language news app.

The app was launched at an event on Sunday, three days before the opening of the Party's 19th National Congress, aiming to provide timely coverage of the event, and the latest on Party moves, government policies, and the new blueprint of China's development.

More than 100 representatives from relevant ministries, the diplomatic corps, media and academia attended the launch at the People's Daily's headquarters in Beijing.

"China’s image in the world is still mostly constructed by others instead of by itself. There remains a ‘deficit’ between the inflow and outflow of information in China,” said Yang Zhenwu, president of People's Daily.

Yang added that “a stronger China needs to present itself to the world. The changing world is also eager to know more about China. The international community expects China to share its experience, expound on its propositions, propose solutions and contribute its wisdom." Last month at a media cooperation forum, People’s Daily announced that the newspaper would establish a Belt and Road Media Cooperation Center to boost cooperation with media houses of all countries participating in the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative.

Lu Xinning, deputy editor-in-chief of People's Daily, said the decision of the launch was based on solid demand from the international community who wish to have access to more China stories.

At the launching ceremony, People's Daily also signed Strategic Cooperation Agreements with the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Education, Commerce, Culture, etc. in a bid to better provide information services.

The People's Daily newspaper was established in 1948, and has been based in Beijing since 1949.