- Title: CHINA: FILE OF NEW CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JIANTAO
- Date: 15th March 2003
- Summary: (U3) BEIJING, CHINA (FILE - FEBRUARY 2002) (REUTERS) WIDE OF AUDIENCE AT QINGHUA UNIVERSITY SMV, HU AND US PRESIDNT GEORGE .W BUSH CLAPPING SMV HU ADDRESSING AUDIENCE SLV HU AND BUSH SHAKING HANDS
- Embargoed: 30th March 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIJING, TIANJIN; LHASA, TIBET; CHINA
- City:
- Country: China
- Topics: General,Politics,People
- Reuters ID: LVA4VSP57R6I0W65BIFF5J02G6P0
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: China's new President Hu Jintao faces a difficult balancing act as the nation's new supreme leader - making his mark without stepping on the toes of the still influential Jiang Zemin.
In November last year, Hu Jintao took over the post of Communist Party leader from Chinese President Jiang Zemin.
Having only just begun to emerge from Jiang Zemin's shadow, Hu has been careful not to tread on his predecessor's toeS, mindful that Jiang is still the power behind the throne.
Now, adding the title of President to his portfolio, observers are watching keenly how Hu will navigate his way through Chinese politics.
Hu faces a difficult task, stamping his authority on government while the still influential Jiang Zemin retains considerable power behind the scenes, still in control of the military and surrounded by a stack of allies in government.
But Hu has been working steadily to expand his power base - appointing his own key allies to top posts.
He has also been quick to play the role of populist - taking up the cudgel for the impoverished, showing concern for those missing out on China's economic boom.
Hu has also called for faster rural reform to raise living standards and curb unrest.
He has repeatedly invoked Jiang's "Three Represents"
political theory which aims to broaden the party's membership to include private entrepreneurs.
Critics say Hu lacks the leadership skills to guide the world's most populous nation and Asia's fastest growing economy.
But Hu has earned respect for building consensus among diverse groups.
A hydraulic engineer by training, Hu cut his political teeth in dirt-poor Guizhou and then Tibet, overseeing a crackdown on pro-independence protests in 1988-1989.
Even to former colleagues and friends, Hu remains an enigma. Some call him a hard-liner, pointing to his role in Tibet.
Others see a liberal streak from his days running the Central Party School when it began studying ways to revamp the party.
Few personal details are known about him save that he likes dancing and ping pong and has a photographic memory.
Now, all eyes will be on him to see if he can succeed in stepping out of Jiang's shadow in the years ahead. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None