Torch Passing Kindles Higher Hopes: Commentary

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, November 17, 2002

Torch Passing Kindles Higher Hopes: Commentary

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Hu Jintao Elected New Party Chief

When members of the Party's new leadership filed into the limelight on last Friday in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the Communist Party of China (CPC) accomplished a historic, smooth transfer of power from its third generation to a fourth one, and brought to a successful close the 16th National Congress of the CPC.

The admirable finishing touch to the historical mission of Jiang Zemin and his colleagues shed a special radiance because of the programme of action they bequeathed.

In the political report he delivered on behalf of the 15th CPC Central Committee, Jiang put forward an ambitious goal to quadruple the nation's 2000 gross domestic product and build an all-inclusive better-off society by 2020.

Restructuring the economy, upgrading the State sector, creating new jobs and developing the western regions, all remained a strong accent in the report as tools to balance the nation's economic landscape.

Hu Jintao Introduces His Colleagues

Higher on the list of priorities are undertakings such as Party building and political reforms.

As Jiang appropriately pointed out in the report, the CPC has gained a deeper understanding from its past experiences as to what the CPC should be like and how it should build itself to serve the people.

Acknowledging that the Party's "manner of leading and way of ruling have yet to meet the needs of new situations and new tasks," the report identified the need for refined leadership.

Despite all the hoopla concerning the new leadership line-up, the 16th Party Congress' milestone status in the eyes of the Chinese people owes more to its theoretical breakthrough in the amendment of the Party Constitution.

Expanding the Party's previously assumed role as "vanguard of the working class," the amended constitution states that the Party is "also the vanguard of the whole of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation."

As was widely expected, the new constitution adopted the acclaimed Jiang proposal that the Party represent the most advanced productive forces, best culture, and the broadest interests shared by the people of China.

Redefinition of the Party's representation heralds the welcoming of people from beyond the previously-defined working class, including private entrepreneurs. This fits very well the CPC's long-standing aim to rally all favourable factors, as well as its new pledge to "advance with the times."

We owe Jiang and his comrades profound respect as they pass the torch over to the next generation.

Their collective retirement from the political stage was more than a show of solidarity. It was also a demonstration of their firm belief in China's reform and opening-up and an expression of their trust in the Party's younger blood.

The 356-member new CPC Central Committee, which emerged at the Party Congress from direct election, features 180 new faces, with an average age of 55.4 years, almost five years younger than their predecessors when elected in 1997 at the 15th CPC congress.

As Hu Jintao, the Party's new general secretary, and his peers take over, they find themselves in the privileged position of being able to aim even higher and achieve even more.

As loyal custodians of the cause of reform and opening-up, the third-generation leaders have braved stormy times to ensure our nation is not distracted from its set course.

Hu Jintao, on behalf of the new CPC leadership, has vowed to "unswervingly" and "persistently" carry out the policy objectives set out in the political report of the last Central Committee.

We can justifiably place our ever higher hopes in the new leadership. (China Daily)

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