CHINA: Hu Jintao tackles rich-poor divide and corruption in speech to 17th Communist Party Congress

Chinese President and Communist Party leader Hu Jintao pledged to reduce the rich-poor divide and crackdown on corruption in an agenda setting speech at China's 17th Communist Party Congress on Monday (October 15). The Congress, the biggest political event in five years, hosts over 2,200 representatives who come from the 70 million members of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Hu Jintao is obviously set to promote his slogan of building a "harmonious society" at a time when social conflicts and instabilities are emerging as a result of a widening rich-poor gap. Hu praised the economic achievements of the country and its people, but he admitted great challenges lay ahead. "A relatively comfortable standard of living has been achieved for the people as a whole, but the trend of a growing gap in income distribution has not been thoroughly reversed. There are still a considerable number of impoverished and low-income people in both urban and rural areas, and it has become more difficult to accommodate the interests of all sides," said Hu. After five years' breakneck development since the last Congress, the Chinese authority has become concerned following a series of social clashes, soaring housing prices, and frequent industrial accidents. Hu has shown his strong determination to rule out corruption as he has reiterated on many occasions that corruption is a vital issue that could damage the Communist Party. "Resolutely punishing and effectively preventing corruption bears on the popular support for the Party and on its very survival, and is therefore a major political task the Party must attend to at all times. All Party members must be fully aware that fighting corruption will be a protracted, complicated and arduous battle, attach great importance to combating corruption and upholding integrity and take a clear stand against corruption," said Hu. The Party dramatically dismissed its chief in Shanghai, Chen Liangyu last year over corruption. Hu also extended an olive branch to Taiwan for a peaceful solution to sovereignty disputes across the straits as he offered to enter into negotiations with the self-ruled island. "We are willing to make every effort with the utmost sincerity to achieve peaceful reunification of the two sides, and will never allow anyone to separate Taiwan from the motherland in any name or by any means," said Hu. China has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since 1949 after Chiang Kai-shek's defeated Nationalists fled to the island. China has offered in the past to resume talks with Taiwan, that have been frozen since 1999 when then-Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui insisted that bilateral relations be described as "special state to state" which would imply that Taiwan was a separate country. The Party Congress is expected to last for a week.

ITN Source | October 15, 2007

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