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Hu still faces challenges: forum

Even though he has consolidated his influence in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) lineup, the reshuffling of key party posts shows that Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) still does not have the last word in the party, Kou Chien-wen (寇健文), a professor of politics at National Chengchi University, said yesterday.

Kuo made the comments at a forum on the implications of the just-concluded 17th CCP Congress, held once every five years to study key appointments and set broad policy goals.

"Overall, the CCP will continue with its collective leadership. Hu has yet to become the leader who can decide and act on his own, as evidenced by the rivalry between Xi Jinping (習近平) and Li Keqiang (李克強)," Kuo said.

Xi, 52, who has more than 20 years of experience in the Communist Youth League, and Li, 54, Shanghai party secretary, were the two youngest members among the four newly appointed in the new nine-man Politburo, the party's highest body.

Xi is viewed as the candidate Hu favors to succeed as secretary-general of the party, while Lee is favored by Hu to be the next premier, Kuo said.

Kuo pointed out two key characteristics in the reshuffle -- the rising influence of the party's Communist Youth League and the continuing strength of the taizi dang (太子黨) -- the children and relatives of the ruling elite. Both play a vital role in appointment to top posts, he said.

"Three members of the Politburo are taizi dang because the CCP believes that relatives can help perpetuate the political dynasty," Kuo said.

Chen Teh-sheng (陳德昇), a researcher with the university's Institute of International Relations, told the forum that Hu faces many challenges in his goal to build an affluent society.

If Hu is to realize the eight objectives he outlined in his economic development report, which would see per capita GDP quadruple from 2000 to 2020, China has to reject high-pollution and high-energy consumption industries, Chen said.

Another panelist Wang Kao-cheng (王高成), an associate professor at Tamkang University's department of international affairs and strategic studies, said that Hu's report showed that China would significantly increase its military budget in the next five years.
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