China's ruling Communist Party will hold a congress to appoint a new generation of central leaders from Nov. 8, the official Xinhua news agency said on Friday, citing the decision of a Politburo meeting.

At the 18th Party Congress, President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other long-standing leaders will give up their main party posts, making way for new leaders likely to be led by current the Vice President Xi Jinping, who is virtually certain to replace Hu as top leader.

The handover of state posts will then be formalised at the annual meeting of parliament, probably in March next year, when Xi is likely to be appointed state president and Li Keqiang named the new premier.