China Turns Its Back on Communism to Join Long March of the Capitalists

President Jiang Zemin yesterday effectively jettisoned communism in his manifesto speech on China's future development to the Communist party congress.

Mr Jiang stressed the need for the party to "keep pace with the times" and bring prosperity to the Chinese people. Otherwise the party's own future was in doubt.

Mr Jiang spoke at length on the merits of his pragmatic theory known as the "three represents" which puts economic development as the top priority.

"The world is changing," he said. "We must adapt ourselves ... (and) conscientiously free our minds from the shackles of outdated notions, practices and systems, from the erroneous and dogmatic interpretations of Marxism."

In striking contrast to Mr Jiang's report to the last congress in 1997, he failed to refer to the "ultimate goal of communism" which the party in theory still pursues.

As expected, a green light has been offered to China's private entrepreneurs who have been vulnerable to criticism although they are now the country's most dynamic economic force. "We should admit into the party advanced elements of other social strata who accept the party's programme and constitution," Mr Jiang said.

He defined the new "social strata" as including private entrepreneurs, employees of foreign funded firms, and the self-employed.

It was improper, he said, "to judge whether people are progressive or backward by how much property they own".

Mr Jiang, who is expected to give up leadership of the party at the end of the congress next week, made it clear that the "three represents" is his legacy, supplanting the ideas of Marx and Lenin. It was "a guiding ideology (which) the party must follow for a long time to come", he said with characteristic lack of modesty.

Preaching a new inclusiveness, he said that "all people's interests are basically identical: we must allow people to advance together to the common goal of prosperity (and) encourage them to create social wealth".

Supporting Mr Jiang, governor Niu Maosheng of Hebei province said later that "the nature of the party has changed. Being afraid of hardship and death is no longer enough. You should be able to lead the masses to wealth and development".

Mr Jiang offered little or nothing to those hoping for political change. He referred cautiously to "expanding citizens' participation in an orderly way".

Democracy should be extended but only "at the grassroots": there was no suggestion of elections within the party or for government posts above the lowest level.

He made it clear that the party intended to stay in power and that it was supremely qualified to rule. "Leadership by the party is the fundamental guarantee," he said, "that the people are the masters of the country and that the country is ruled by law."

The Chinese constitution, he insisted, "embodies the unity of the party's views and the people's will".

Mr Jiang called for innovative thinking to tackle China's unemployment and the gap between rich and poor. He denounced high-level corruption, saying no one should be immune from punishment.

"We must move forward or we will fall behind," he declared. "Whether we can persist in doing this bears on the future and destiny of the party and state."

He also warned that China would use force against anyone who "separated Taiwan from China in any way".

Committing his successors firmly to world economic globalisation, he said the party stood for "going with the historical tide".