Communist Party Must Improve Leadership Skills

Jiang inspects east China

The Communist Party of China (CPC) must improve its leadership skills if it wants to win the loyalty of the entire Chinese nation, CPC General Secretary Jiang Zemin said May 15 in Shanghai during his just-concluded tour of East China.

The CPC has always met the requirements for the country's development, guided the growth of an advanced culture, and represented the fundamental interests of the Chinese people, he said.

Jiang visited Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces and Shanghai Municipality from May 8-15.

During his tour, Jiang, who is also China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, held talks with local leaders and visited a number factories and villages.

On Sunday, the top Chinese leader presided over a forum in Shanghai on Party building and made an important speech on the issue.

Jiang said that the Party must further strengthen its combat capability, work harder to resolve outstanding problems within the Party, and constantly improve the leading and ruling capabilities so that the Party can direct China's modernization drive and secure the country's power in the midst of fierce international competition.

Party committees at different levels should build up the Party in a comprehensive way according to the plans of the Party Central Committee, he said.

He urged that Party building be strengthened in state-owned enterprises along with their reform, and also pointed out that the Party's grassroots organizations in the countryside are the core of various rural groups and industries.

The private sector has been an important part of the country's socialist market economy, he said, noting that Party organizations should be formed in private companies to guarantee the healthy development of the sector.

Party organizations should be set up in private firms and should work hard to unite and educate entrepreneurs to advocate various policies of the Party, run the businesses according to law, and protect the employees' interests, Jiang noted.