No turning back as Hu pledges an open China
Friday, December 19, 2008
President Hu Jintao has pledged that China will never turn back on its path of opening to the world during celebrations for the nation's 30 years of spectacular economic reforms."There's no way for us to turn back," Hu told an audience at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "The future development of China must depend on reform and opening up."
However, in a speech laced with references to Marxist and socialist theory, Hu made it clear the Communist Party will remain in control and that there will be little tolerance for dissent.
"Without stability, we can do nothing and [we will] lose what has been achieved," he said.
"Our party will ... remain the backbone of all national ethnic groups in dealing with various foreign and domestic risks and tests, and remain the core in the historic process of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
"We must deeply recognize that the party's advanced nature and ruling party status are not ... unalterable."
China's opening and reform began 30 years ago with a decision by then paramount leader Deng Xiaoping to abandon the strictly closed society chosen by Mao Zedong.
"Only development makes hard sense," Hu said more than once, reviving a slogan Deng used to spur on investment and spending.
"Making economic development the focus is the key to national rejuvenation and it is the fundamental imperative for our party and our country achieving prosperity and development and enduring peace and stability."
It was
on December 18, 1978, that the elite of the Communist Party ratified Deng's launching of economic reforms.At that time, China was emerging from the Cultural Revolution, a period of intense social and political upheaval launched by revolutionary leader Mao, and was still suffering famines.
This new "revolution" started in the countryside, where authorities began to decollectivize land and dismantle communes, but it quickly spread to cities.
Wary of an opposing power base in economically powerful Shanghai, Deng chose the extreme south of the country as the guinea pig for his reforms.
Shenzhen, formerly just a fishing village, and other southern cities have become economic powerhouses that are models for the rest of the country.
Hu pointed to many of these achievements yesterday, highlighting that China's economy had grown at an average of 9.8 percent each year since 1978, three times the world average. With this has come global power, he said. "Our international status and influence has risen."
But he acknowledged many problems remain in the power structure and throughout society.
"There is a long way to go before we realize our grand goal, we have no reason to be smug," Hu said. "We must realize our country is still in a primary state of socialism and will stay in that state for a long time."
Among the problems, Hu acknowledged that there was still a huge rich-poor divide, and that the nation's agricultural foundations remained week. "There are still a lot of people who live in poverty," he said. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Friday, December 19, 2008
President Hu Jintao has pledged that China will never turn back on its path of opening to the world during celebrations for the nation's 30 years of spectacular economic reforms."There's no way for us to turn back," Hu told an audience at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. "The future development of China must depend on reform and opening up."
However, in a speech laced with references to Marxist and socialist theory, Hu made it clear the Communist Party will remain in control and that there will be little tolerance for dissent.
"Without stability, we can do nothing and [we will] lose what has been achieved," he said.
"Our party will ... remain the backbone of all national ethnic groups in dealing with various foreign and domestic risks and tests, and remain the core in the historic process of developing socialism with Chinese characteristics.
"We must deeply recognize that the party's advanced nature and ruling party status are not ... unalterable."
China's opening and reform began 30 years ago with a decision by then paramount leader Deng Xiaoping to abandon the strictly closed society chosen by Mao Zedong.
"Only development makes hard sense," Hu said more than once, reviving a slogan Deng used to spur on investment and spending.
"Making economic development the focus is the key to national rejuvenation and it is the fundamental imperative for our party and our country achieving prosperity and development and enduring peace and stability."
It was
This new "revolution" started in the countryside, where authorities began to decollectivize land and dismantle communes, but it quickly spread to cities.
Wary of an opposing power base in economically powerful Shanghai, Deng chose the extreme south of the country as the guinea pig for his reforms.
Shenzhen, formerly just a fishing village, and other southern cities have become economic powerhouses that are models for the rest of the country.
Hu pointed to many of these achievements yesterday, highlighting that China's economy had grown at an average of 9.8 percent each year since 1978, three times the world average. With this has come global power, he said. "Our international status and influence has risen."
But he acknowledged many problems remain in the power structure and throughout society.
"There is a long way to go before we realize our grand goal, we have no reason to be smug," Hu said. "We must realize our country is still in a primary state of socialism and will stay in that state for a long time."
Among the problems, Hu acknowledged that there was still a huge rich-poor divide, and that the nation's agricultural foundations remained week. "There are still a lot of people who live in poverty," he said. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
