2012-11-08 18:35:25

China begins transfer of political power


(Vatican Radio) China's outgoing president opened the congress with a speech calling for economic reforms and - Hu Jintao said -- a tighter grip on corruption.

"If we fail to handle corruption well," he said, "It could cause the fall of the state."

The president noted there has been growing social unrest over graft and environmental degradation, saying the Communist Party must resist protests and stay in charge.

He also promised political reform but ruled out following European- or American-style democracy

The week-long 18th Communist Party Congress in Beijing, will see President Hu begin to hand over power to designated successor Xi Jinping.

It will also appoint a new central committee of likely seven policymakers, and many minor appointments like provincial governors and some company bosses.

In his speech, the Chinese president made no mention of the freedom of religion but he admitted there were problems to solve in policymaking, and named health care, food and the safety of pharmaceuticals as areas where trouble had arisen.

Listen to regional correspondent Alastair Wanklyn’s full report: RealAudioMP3







All the contents on this site are copyrighted ©.