The Hindu : International : Party Congress expected to set China’s priorities

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Saturday, Sep 01, 2007
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International

Party Congress expected to set China’s priorities

Pallavi Aiyar

Beijing: The dates for China’s 17th Party congress have been set for mid-October according to Chinese state media, setting the stage for the run-up to the biggest political event in the country in five years.

The congress, which is held twice a decade, is expected to set the country’s priorities for the coming years and may give the first indications of who will succeed the current President Hu Jintao when he steps down at the next party congress in 2012.

The meeting is also likely to see attempts by Mr. Hu to further consolidate his power by manoeuvring his supporters into key party positions while simultaneously trying to shake off the waning influence of his predecessor, Mr. Jiang Zemin.

However, even though the congress will, in all probability, see the emergence of a stronger hand for Mr. Hu, the meeting will take place at a time when the leadership faces daunting challenges. China is currently in the international spotlight for a series of food and drug safety related scandals. Worsening pollution and rising inflation are other major domestic issues that have worried the leadership.

The country has seen nearly double-digit yearly economic growth since the last party congress in 2002. But at the same time, rural poverty, corruption and a widening gap between the rich and the poor have also put pressure on party leaders.

According to Xinhua, the official news agency, the party said in a statement that the congress “is a very important meeting held at a time when China has entered a key stage of reform and development.”

The congress, which is a closed-door meeting involving over 2,000 delegates, will start on October 15.

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