Hu Jintao on Monday pledged to expand the people's democracy and ensure that they are masters of the country.
"People's democracy is the lifeblood of socialism," Hu said in his report to the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on behalf of the 16th CPC Central Committee.
Saying that the essence and core of socialist democracy -- a goal that the Party has been consistently pursuing -- are that the people are masters of the country, Hu proposed that both urban and rural areas gradually adopt the same ratio of deputies to the represented population in the election of deputies to the people's congresses.
To ensure scientific and democratic decision-making, Hu called for improving the information and intellectual support for it, increasing its transparency and expanding public participation in it. In principle, public hearings must be held for the formulation of laws, regulations and policies that bear closely on the interests of the public.
Hu pointed out that the most effective and extensive way for the people to be masters of the country is that they directly exercise democratic rights in accordance with the law to manage public affairs and public service programs at the primary level, practice self-management, self-service, self-education and self-oversight, and exercise democratic oversight over cadres. Such practices must be emphasized and promoted as the groundwork for developing socialist democracy.
He called on Party organizations at all levels and all Party members to act under the Constitution and laws on their own initiative and take the lead in upholding the authority of the Constitution and laws.
Hu also promised to accelerate the separation of the functions of the government from those of enterprises, state assets management authorities, public institutions and market-based intermediaries, standardize administrative practices, strengthen administrative law-enforcement agencies, reduce the number of matters requiring administrative examination and approval and standardize such procedures, and reduce government intervention in microeconomic operations.
He urged to improve the mechanism of restraint and supervision, stressing that "power must be exercised in the sunshine to ensure that it is exercised correctly". He said organic laws and rules of procedure should be improved to ensure that state organs exercise their powers and perform their functions within their statutory jurisdiction and in accordance with legal procedures.
As an important part of China's overall reform, political restructuring must be constantly deepened along with economic and social development to adapt to the growing enthusiasm of the people for participation in political affairs, Hu emphasized.
Major Points of Hu Jintao's Report:
■ Hu Jintao charts roadmap for China: sustainable growth, greater democracy
■ Hu Jintao mentions "democracy" more than 60 times in landmark report
■ Hu Jintao: No tolerance to corruption
■ Hu Jintao against arbitrary decision-making in the Party
■ Hu Jintao calls for building harmonious world
■ Hu: China to modernize army for self-defense, world peace
■ Hu Jintao appeals for "peace agreement" with Taiwan
■ Hu Jintao calls for enhancing "soft power" of Chinese culture
■ Hu Jintao vows to "reverse growing income disparity"
■ Hu Jintao vows to expand people's democracy
■ Hu Jintao advocates "conservation culture" for first time in keynote political document
■ Hu promises to promote more non-Communists to leading positions
■ Innovation tops Hu Jintao's economic agenda
■ Hu Jintao proposes Scientific Outlook on Development for tackling China's immediate woes, challenges
■ Hu: Scientific Outlook on Development part of theories of socialism with Chinese characteristics
■ Hu highlights efforts by predecessors, vowing to carry on reform, opening up
■ Hu says China experiences "extraordinary" five years of achievements, difficulties
■ Hu Jintao stresses socialism with Chinese characteristics
■ Video: CPC opens 17th National Congress
■ Audio: CPC opens 17th National Congress
Source: Xinhua
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