President Jiang Calls for Improved Party Leadership

Jiang Inspects Anhui Province

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Chinese President Jiang Zemin has called for the Communist Party of China (CPC) to improve its leadership art in the light of the changed domestic and international situation, especially the deepening economic reforms, development of the market economy, socialistic democracy, and the rule of law in China.

Jiang, who is also the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during a trip to Anhui Province in east China between May 17 and 24.

The trip brought him to Huangshan, Xuancheng, Wuhu and lastly the provincial capital of Hefei, where he visited factories and rural residents' families, and met with ordinary people.

On Wednesday, Jiang presided over a meeting in Hefei, during which party officials at county and town levels from across the province expressed their opinion and proposals on strengthening the building of the Party.

On the same day, Jiang was briefed by the provincial government on its work and delivered an important speech on improving the leadership by the Party and governance capacity.

Jiang stressed that as a ruling party, the CPC is bearing a great responsibility in leading a developing country with a population of more than 1.2 billion, which requires that the party continuously improve its art of leadership and governance capacity.

President Jiang Calls for Improved Party Leadership Deep changes have taken place in China's economic system, social organization forms and the models of production and people's lives since the country's reform and opening-up drive, and the trend will continue, said the president.

He noted that China's market economy and its increased involvement in international economic activities require the Party to base its decisions on scientific research and democracy, and combine the rule of law with the rule of virtue.

Party officials at all levels must bear in mind that leadership is a service and keep learning new things to improve their ability to serve the people, Jiang said.

They should carry on the good traditions of the party such as combining theory with reality, maintaining close links with the masses, combining criticism with self-criticism, and keep exploring new means and methods in improving the party's art of leadership, he added.

On a separate occasion Tuesday, Jiang met with party officials at rural grassroots levels and exchanged points of view with them on the party's education campaign known as "three represent's." (The Communist Party of China represents the development trend of China's advanced social productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people in China.)

He stressed that the campaign is of great importance in ensuring the smooth progress of reform, development and stability in rural areas.

He told party officials that the campaign must be closely linked with solving the outstanding problems for farmers.

The purpose of the campaign is to educate the grassroots cadres and protect and improve farmers interests, Jiang said.