The Hindu : Hu Jintao is China's President

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 16, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

Hu Jintao is China's President

By P.S. Suryanarayana

BEIJING MARCH 15. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Hu Jintao, today succeeded Jiang Zemin as the country's sixth President in a largely symbolic election in Beijing. With this, China signalled its transition to a possible new era of orderly politics of succession from the painful memories of succession struggles that often marked the country's contemporary history since the formation of the communist state in 1949.

Mr. Hu's rise today from the position of China's Vice-President came as no surprise at all, although the balance of power might now be determined by the parallel reality that Mr. Jiang retained his ultimate authority over the country's powerful military establishment in a separate ballot here.

China will elect its next Prime Minister on Sunday.

The new National People's Congress (NPC), or parliament, served as the electoral college, even as the pre-determined succession saga for the presidency was choreographed with a touch of innovation. A state-of-the-art process of advanced electronic voting was adopted to signal China's intention to move towards a system of political transparency.

The secret ballot papers were cast into a computerised box that scanned the voting pattern for tabulation purposes in a so-called "in camera" process. Less than a handful among the 2,951 NPC deputies, who attended the session, voted against Mr. Hu.

Mr. Hu's place as Vice-President has now gone to Zeng Qinghong, generally believed to be Mr. Jiang's political protégé and close lieutenant. The other major election today was that of Wu Bangguo as Chairman of the new NPC Standing Committee — the parliament's presiding officer and final arbiter. Mr. Wu succeeds Li Peng, a veteran of the vestigial old guard of communism in China. Several Vice-Chairmen of the new NPC Standing Committee and all its members, numbering about 160, were also elected in a session that lasted almost three hours.

While the final political configuration of the "new generation of leaders" will be known after the next Prime Minister is elected, today's montage of leadership changes was replete with not only its theatrical appeal but also a central theme. The theme of change with continuity was reflected by the soft manner in which Mr. Jiang greeted his successor with a firm handshake and a studied smile after it was announced that Mr. Hu would assume China's presidency without securing the final say over the country's military forces at this stage.

Yet, even as Mr. Hu bowed to the delegates who acclaimed his election, he seemed to herald a specific "Chinese model of succession", as envisioned by China-watchers such as Zheng Yongnian and John Wong, for now.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

CM, Speaker on collision course in Jharkhand

U.S. waives sanctions against Pak.

Hu Jintao is China's President

Hurriyat leaders meet Sonia

Petrol, diesel prices hiked

Militants set houses ablaze

Deora quits post

Pollock sacked