New CPC constitution highlights ‘opening up’

Rasika SOMARATHNA

With the Communist Party of China (CPC) unveiling its new leadership at the end of the party’s 18th National Congress in Beijing yesterday, the CPC says that continuity to reform and opening up will be “the path to a stronger China”.

The CPC which drives the second largest economy in the world, appointed Vice President Xi Jinping as the General Secretary of the party’s Central Committee yesterday,

Xi Jinping succeeds President Hu Jintao as head of the ruling Communist Party. Other members of the newly elected Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee are Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan, and Zhang Gaoli.

According to the newly amended CPC Constitution endorsed by the 18th National Congress, reform and opening up have been highlighted as “the path to a stronger China” and the “salient feature” of the new period in China.

The inclusion of this statement into the Constitution will help the whole Party acquire a deeper understanding of the importance to carry on reform and opening up, and thus pursue this endeavor more consciously and with greater determination, said a resolution of the congress on an amendment to the Constitution.

Top Chinese officials meanwhile believe that China’s collective leadership will usher gradual changes and a radical change in policy regarding all affairs is not possible.

Director General of the Shanghai Financial Services office Dr.Fang Xinhai told this writer and a group of Journalists from the South East and South Asia in Shanghai a few days back that China’s business community was looking forward to new reforms. He said that reform and more opening up will help Shanghai’s quest to become the International Financial Centre by 2020.

He also said that China also need legal reforms to spur business in the new age. Another official opined that it was important to make international investors in China comfortable and to ensure disputes are resolved fairly and quickly.

While predicting a bright future for the chinese yuan as a strong international currency, Dr.Fang said that China had a very strong domestic economy and this had helped the country to weather the recent global economic shocks in a successful manner. Speaking on reforms Dr.Fang noted that this he expects will be ushered gradually and a radical shift in policies was not possible.

Meanwhile Head of the Department for Asian Affairs of the Chinese Foriegn Ministry, Luo Zhaohui said that there will be continuity with regard to policies especially in the foriegn relations sector.

He said that China’s relations with other Asian nations were very strong and added that gradual reforms expected to be announce by the CPC will help futher advance these ties.Speaking on reforms Zhaohui said that these are expected to further supplement economic, political, social, cultural and ecological development in China Speaking on ties with Sri Lanka several Chinese officials observed that in recent years relations between the two countries have grown in leaps and bounds and added that both social and economic coopeartion between the two countries will grow further in the coming years.

The reform and opening up process was masterminded by Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s and now is being advanced from one generation to another.

President Hu Jintao in his key note report to the congress stated “hold high the great banner of socialism with chinese characteristics, follow the guidance of Deng Xiaoping theory, the important thought of three represents and the scientific outlook on development, free up the mind, implement the policy of reform and opening up, pool our strength, overcome all difficulties, firmly march on the path of socialism with chinese characteristcs, and strive to complete the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects”.

The congress in the last week discussed President Hu Jintao’s report whilst planning China’s path ahead in the next five years.

The congress is held once in every five years. The CPC at the congress appraises Party’s work over the past five years and map out plans to deal with challenges ahead for the next five years.

The delegates convene at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People for full sessions. The CPC was founded at the first congress in Shanghai in 1921. Less than 20 delegates attended it.

This year 2,270 delegates attended the congress representing 82 million party members.Many of the delegates are grassroots role models from all walks of life, including farmers, workers, teachers, doctors and scientists.

This writers visit to China was on an invitation by the Chinese Foriegn Ministry and it was coordinated by the Chinese embassy in Colombo. More than 1700 foriegn journalists took part in covering the affairs of the 18th CPC Congress.

Journalists from over 120 countries took part in organized tours to various parts of China and held discussions with key officials on a variety of issues during organized visits by China’s Foriegn Ministry.

These visits were arranged to coincide with the 18th CPC congress.