Hu wants more democracy, says Finnish president
Thursday, November 28, 2002
china.scmp.com
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Hu Jintao has vowed to strengthen democracy during his time as Communist Party leader, Finnish President Tarja Halonen said yesterday after meeting Mr Hu in Beijing.
In his first extensive remarks to outsiders since becoming the party's general secretary after the 16th party congress earlier this month, Mr Hu told his guest that one of the biggest tasks ahead was to "strengthen democracy at all levels", according to Ms Halonen.
Mr Hu made the comment when asked during the one-hour meeting what he saw as his main challenges. "He said that it's important that they have continued economic growth, that they will consider it important that it's sustainable development, that there will be stability," Ms Halonen said.
"After that he said the translation was, 'strengthen democracy at all levels'."
There is nothing so far in Mr Hu's career to suggest that he is a champion of democracy, observers have said.
On the contrary, shortly after he was put in charge of Tibet in 1988, he oversaw a brutal crackdown on pro-independence demonstrations.
Ms Halonen is the first foreign leader to meet Mr Hu since the 59-year-old assumed leadership of the party.
His appointment as party chief was followed by a fortnight of minimal coverage of him in the mainland media, which baffled some observers.
However, yesterday he behaved like a man at ease with himself, intending to take charge, according to the Finnish visitors.
"I had the feeling that he has decided to be number one," Ms Halonen said, when asked if Mr Hu appeared to be in command.
When Mr Hu was handed the reins of the party, his predecessor, President Jiang Zemin, seemed to have retained considerable power.
Several officials known to be Jiang proteges were given seats at the party's all-powerful nine-member Politburo Standing Committee.
Mr Jiang remains president but is expected to relinquish that post to Mr Hu in March, when his term expires.
Mr Jiang told Ms Halonen on Tuesday that he was "relieved" he no longer had to be in charge of day-to-day affairs, according to a member of the Finnish entourage.
"It's time for a younger man to take charge," Mr Jiang said, according to the Finnish official.
Mr Hu, reputed to have a photographic memory, impressed his visitors with his knowledge of Finnish and bilateral affairs without referring to his notes even once, the Finnish official said.
This was all the more striking when compared with Tuesday's meeting with Mr Jiang, when the 76-year-old read from prepared notes and appeared taken by surprise when asked about some subjects, he said.
"He was, in a way, in my eyes, a new type of Chinese leader, well-informed, relaxed, really discussing," Ms Halonen said. |
