This is a Chinese name; the family name is Hu. Personal Names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Chinese family name is one of the hundreds or thousands of Family names that have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic Hu is a Chinese surname. It is the 15th most common Surname in China, according to a study published in 2006

胡锦涛 Hu Jintao
Hu Jintao
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
Incumbent
Assumed office  November 15, 2002
Preceded by	Jiang Zemin
President of the People's Republic of China
Incumbent
Assumed office  March 15, 2003
Premier	Wen Jiabao
Vice President	Xi Jinping
Preceded by	Jiang Zemin
Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China
Incumbent
Assumed office  September 19, 2004
Preceded by	Jiang Zemin
Born	December 21, 1942 (1942-12-21) (age 65) Jiangyan, China
Political party	Communist Party of China
Spouse	Liu Yongqing
Alma mater	Tsinghua University
Profession	Hydraulic engineer

Hu Jintao (simplified Chinese: 胡锦涛; traditional Chinese: 胡錦濤; pinyin: Hú Jǐntāo; born December 21, 1942) is currently the Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China, holding the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang Zemin in the fourth generation leadership of the People's Republic of China. The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee ( is the highest ranking official within the Communist Party of China and heads the Secretariat Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of The President of the People's Republic of China ( literally Chairman of the Chinese People's Republic or abbreviated Guójiā Zhǔxí 国家主席 literally State Chairman Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wen. Wen Jiabao ( (born 15 September 1942 is the Premier of the Xi Jinping ( POJ: Sip Kin-ping born 1953) is a senior leader of the People's Republic of China. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of The Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China has overall responsibility for the Central Military Commission. Events 335 - Dalmatius is raised to the rank of Caesar by his uncle Constantine I. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Location Located in the middle of Jiangsu province Jiangyan (N 32°30 E 120°09 is neighbored by Hai'an city and Dongtai city to the east China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Liu Yongqing ( Chinese: 刘永清 Pinyin: Liú Yǒngqīng is the wife of Hu Jintao, the current president of the People’s Republic of China Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval Tsinghua University ( THU;) is a University in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use Events 69 - The end of the Year of the four emperors: Following Galba, Otho and Vitellius, Vespasian Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Paramount Leader ( literally "the highest leader of the country" in modern Chinese Political science, unofficially refers to the political leader of the Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee ( is the highest ranking official within the Communist Party of China and heads the Secretariat The President of the People's Republic of China ( literally Chairman of the Chinese People's Republic or abbreviated Guójiā Zhǔxí 国家主席 literally State Chairman The Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China has overall responsibility for the Central Military Commission. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of Because both the Communist Party of China and the People's Liberation Army promote according to seniority it is possible to discern distinct generations of Chinese Since his ascendancy Hu has reinstated certain controls on the economy and has been largely conservative with political reforms. His foreign policy is seen as less conciliatory than that of his predecessor, though China's global influence has increased while he has been in office.

Hu's rise to the presidency represents China's transition of leadership from old, establishment Communists to younger, more pragmatic technocrats. Technocracy: A form of government in which scientists and technical experts are in control "technocracy is described as that society in which those who govern justify themselves For most of Hu's adult life he has been involved in the Communist party bureaucracy, notably as Party Chief for the Tibet Autonomous Region, and then later Vice-President under Jiang Zemin. Bureaucracy is the structure and set of regulations in place to control activity usually in large organizations and government The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR also called Xizang Autonomous Region (བོད་རང་སྐྱོང་ལྗོངས་ Wylie: Bod-rang-skyong-ljongs The Vice President of the People's Republic of China ( literally Vice Chairman of the People's Republic of China or abbreviated Guójiā Fù Zhǔxí 国家副主席 An advocate for China's peaceful rise, Hu's political philosophy is summarily described as aiming to found a basis for a Harmonious Society domestically and for Peaceful Development internationally, the former generated by a Scientific Development Concept, which seeks integrated solutions to tackle China's various economic, environmental and social problems. China's peaceful rise ( is a phrase that has been used by scholars and officials in the People's Republic of China to describe the country's Foreign policy approach The Scientific Development Concept ( Pinyin: Kēxué Fāzhǎn Guān is the current official guiding socio-economic ideology of the Communist Party of China Social issues in the People's Republic of China in the 21st century are varied and wide-ranging and are a combined result of the Chinese economic reforms set in place in the

Early life

Hu Jintao was born in Jiangyan, Jiangsu, in 1942. Location Located in the middle of Jiangsu province Jiangyan (N 32°30 E 120°09 is neighbored by Hai'an city and Dongtai city to the east ( Postal map spelling: Kiangsu) is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country His ancestors were from Jixi, a county of the old Huizhou Fu (徽州), in the southeastern part of Anhui province. Jixi County ( Simplified Chinese: 绩溪县 Pinyin: Jìxī Xiàn is a county in Anhui under the jurisdiction of Xuancheng. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Huizhou administers 5 county-level divisions, including 2 districts and 3 counties. Anhui (in Chinese: 安徽 Ānhuī) is a province of the People's Republic of China. Huizhou Fu was famous for the merchants who dominated business operation in southern China. His branch of the family migrated to Jiangyan during his grandfather's generation.

Even though his father owned a small tea trading business in Taizhou, the family was relatively poor. Administration The Prefecture-level city of Taizhou administers 6 county-level divisions, including 2 districts and 4 county-level cities His mother died when he was seven, and he was raised by an aunt. Hu's father was later denounced during the Cultural Revolution, an event that (together with his relatively humble origins) apparently had a deep effect upon Hu, who diligently tried to clear his father's name. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into ^[1]

Hu was a talented student in high school, excelling in activities such as singing and dancing. In 1964, while still a student at Beijing's Tsinghua University, Hu joined the Communist Party of China, prior to the Cultural Revolution. Tsinghua University ( THU;) is a University in Beijing, People's Republic of China. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution in the People’s Republic of China was a struggle for power within the Communist Party of China that manifested into He graduated with a degree in hydraulic engineering in 1965. Hydraulic engineering is a sub-discipline of Civil engineering concerned with the flow and conveyance of Fluids principally Water. At Tsinghua University Hu met a fellow student Liu Yongqing, now his wife. Liu Yongqing ( Chinese: 刘永清 Pinyin: Liú Yǒngqīng is the wife of Hu Jintao, the current president of the People’s Republic of China They have a son and daughter.

In 1968, Hu volunteered for service in Gansu and worked for a hydro-power station while also managing Party affairs for the local branch of the Ministry of Water Resources and Electric Power. ( is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China. From 1969 to 1974, Hu worked for Sinohydro Engineering Bureau No 4, as an engineer. ^[2]

Early political career

In 1974, Hu was transferred to the Construction Department of Gansu as a secretary. The next year he was promoted to vice senior chief. In 1980, Deng Xiaoping implemented the "Four Transformations" program, which aimed to produce communist leaders who were "more revolutionary, younger, more knowledgeable, and more specialized. " In response to this nation-wide search for young party members, Song Ping, the first secretary of CPC Gansu Committee (Gansu's governor) discovered Hu Jintao and promoted him several ranks to the position of deputy head of the commission. Song Ping ( born 1917 was an official in the Communist Party of China and is considered a member of the Second Generation of Chinese Leadership. ^[3] Another protégé of Song, Wen Jiabao, also became prominent at the same time. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wen. Wen Jiabao ( (born 15 September 1942 is the Premier of the

In 1981, Hu, along with Deng Xiaoping's daughter Deng Nan and Hu Yaobang's son Hu Deping, were trained in the Central Party School in Beijing. Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer Deng Nan (邓楠 Pinyin Dèng Nán (born 1945 is the second daughter of Deng Xiaoping and his third wife Zhuo Lin. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's The Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China ( Simplified Chinese: 中共中央党校 in Beijing, also known as the Central Party School Hu made a good impression on Deng Nan, who happened to report it to her father. Hu Deping even invited Hu Jintao to his home and met with Hu Yaobang, who was a standing member of the politburo at that time. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's Hu Jintao's modesty created an impact on Hu Yaobang.

In 1982, Hu was promoted to the position of Communist Youth League Gansu Branch Secretary. His mentor Song Ping was transferred to Beijing as Minister of Organization of the Communist Party of China, and was in charge of senior cadres' recommendation, candidacy and promotion. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the With the support of Hu Yaobang and Deng Xiaoping, Hu was ensured of a bright future in the party. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer At Song Ping's suggestion, in 1982 central Party authorities invited Hu to Beijing to study at the Central Party School. ^[4] Soon after, he was transferred to Beijing and appointed as secretariat of the Communist Youth League Central Committee ("CY Central"). The Communist Youth League of China also known as the China Youth League (中国共产主义青年团 Pinyin: Zhōngguó Gòngchǎnzhǔyì Qīngniántuán Two years later Hu was promoted to First Secretary of CY Central, thus its actual leader. During his term in the Youth League, Hu escorted Hu Yaobang, who was General Secretary of CPC then, in visits around the country. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's Hu Yaobang, himself a veteran coming from the Youth League, could reminiscence his youth through Hu's company. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's

Party Committee Secretary of Guizhou

In 1985, Hu Yaobang pushed for Hu Jintao to be transferred to Guizhou as the provincial Committee Secretary of Communist Party of China. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's ( also spelled Kweichow) is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the ^[5] In contrast to the members of the "Shanghai clique", Hu spent most of his career in China's poorer hinterland rather than in the economically prosperous coastal regions. The Shanghai clique or Shanghai faction ( is the name given to an informal group of officials in the Communist Party of China, especially those who serve in the central Partly because of this, he was relatively unknown to Western analysts before his ascent to power. In 1987 Hu Jintao handled the local students protest parallel to the Democracy Wall carefully, whereas in Beijing similar protests resulted in Hu Yaobang's forced resignation. In China The Democracy Wall (西单民主墙 was a long brick wall on Xidan Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, which became the focus for Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's

Working in Tibet

In June 1988, the Party Secretary in Tibet collapsed from altitude sickness and had to resign. The Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR also called Xizang Autonomous Region (བོད་རང་སྐྱོང་ལྗོངས་ Wylie: Bod-rang-skyong-ljongs Party head Zhao Ziyang proposed Hu because he had already worked in two of China's poorer provinces. Zhao Ziyang ( (17 October 1919&ndash17 January 2005 was a politician in the People's Republic of China. On December 10, 1988, the Tibetan capital Lhasa was rocked by riots. Lhasa, ( in English l̥ʰásə or in Tibetan; Chinese: 拉萨 Pinyin: Lāsà sometimes spelled Lasa, is the administrative capital of the Soon afterward, on January 28, 1989, the revered Panchen Lama died, an event in which many Tibetans believe Hu was involved. The Panchen Lama ( Tibetan: པན་ཆེན་བླ་མ་ Chinese: 班禪喇嘛 is the second highest ranking Lama after the Dalai Lama ^[6] Beijing's Central committee ordered Hu's subordinate, the local government chairman, to declare martial law in Lhasa. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice This was the first such order in the history of the People's Republic,^[7] setting a precedent for the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown.

According to the Hong Kong-published book DiSiDai, “Hu told a friend at this time that he felt pessimistic about his future. It seemed that he had reached a dead end in his career and would never rise beyond the level of provincial Party secretary. ”^[8] As in Guizhou, he made no lasting impact on Tibet. He found it difficult to get used to the altitude and spent an average of five months of the year in Beijing. ^[6][8]

His tenure at Tibet, however, allowed him to keep in touch with his patron, Song Ping.

Candidacy

Former President Jiang Zemin standing side-by-side with his successor, Hu Jintao, at the 16th Party Congress. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of

Before the opening of 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1992, the Party's senior leaders, including Deng and Chen Yun, were to select candidates for the Politburo Standing Committee to ensure a smooth transition of power from the so-called second-generation leaders (Deng, Chen, Li Xiannian, Wang Zhen, etc. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer Chen Yun (( June 13, 1905 &ndash April 10, 1995) was one of the most influential leaders of the People's Republic of China and one The Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (PSC, abbreviated) is a committee whose membership varies between 5 and 9 people usually men and includes Li Xiannian ( (23 June 1909&ndash21 June 1992 was President of the People's Republic of China between 1983 and 1988 and then president of the Chinese People's Political Wáng Zhèn ( 王[[wikt 震|震]] (1908 March 12, 1993) was a Chinese political figure and one of the Eight Immortals of the Communist Party ) to third-generation Communist Party of China leaders (Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, Qiao Shi etc. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of Li Peng ( (b 20 October 1928 was the Premier of China between 1987 and 1998 the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Qiao Shi ( born December 1924 is a Politician in the People's Republic of China. ). Deng also proposed that they should consider another candidate for a further future transition, preferably someone under fifty to represent the next generation of leaders. ^[9] Song, as the organization chief, recommended Hu as an ideal candidate for the prospect of a future leader. Song Ping ( born 1917 was an official in the Communist Party of China and is considered a member of the Second Generation of Chinese Leadership. As a result, shortly before his 50th birthday, Hu Jintao became the youngest member of the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, and the second youngest Politburo Standing Committee member ever since the CCP had seized power in 1949. The Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (PSC, abbreviated) is a committee whose membership varies between 5 and 9 people usually men and includes

In 1993, Hu took charge of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, which oversaw day-to-day operations of the Central Committee, and the Central Party School, which was convenient for him to bring up his own supporters among senior CPC cadres. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Hu was also put in charge of the ideological work of the CPC. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the Although Hu was considered heir apparent to Jiang, he always took great care to ensure that Jiang be at the center of the spotlight. In late 1998, Hu promoted Jiang's unpopular movement of the "Three Stresses" – "stress study, stress politics, and stress healthy trends" – giving speeches to promote it. In 2001, he publicized Jiang's Three Represents theory, which Jiang hoped to place him on the same level as other Marxist theoreticians. The Three Represents ( is a socio-political ideology credited to General Secretary Jiang Zemin which became a guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China at ^[10] As a result, he left the public with an impression of being low-key, courteous, and adept at forming coalitions. In 1998, Hu became Vice-President of China, and Jiang wanted Hu to play a more active role in foreign affairs. Hu became China's leading voice during the US bombings of China's embassy in Belgrade in 1999. Belgrade (Београд Beograd is the Capital and largest city of Serbia.

When the transition finally took place in the 16th National Congress of the CPC in 2002, Jiang was reluctant to leave the center of power. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of It was widely believed that he staffed the Politburo with many members of the so-called "Shanghai Clique", including Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju and Li Changchun, which could ensure Jiang's control behind the stage. Wu Bangguo ( (born July 1941 is a politician in the People's Republic of China. Jia Qinglin ( POJ: Ka Kheng-lim born March 1940 in Botou Hebei Province is the fourth ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Zeng Qinghong ( (born July 1939 was the Vice-President of the People's Republic of China from 2003 to 2008 Huang Ju ( (28 September 1938 &ndash 2 June 2007 was the Executive Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China. Li Changchun (李長春 Pinyin: Lǐ Chángchūn (born February 1944 is considered to be the Propaganda chief of the Communist Party of China. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of Jiang held on to the position of Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of

President

Hu Jintao with George W. Bush. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States.

Since taking over as Party General Secretary at the Sixteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Hu and his premier, Wen Jiabao, proposed to set up a Harmonious Society which aims at lessening the inequality and changing the style of the "GDP first and Welfare Second" policies. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wen. Wen Jiabao ( (born 15 September 1942 is the Premier of the The construction of a Harmonious Society ( is the dominant socio-economic vision that is said to be the ultimate end result of Chinese leader Hu Jintao 's signature They focused on sectors of the Chinese population that have been left behind by the economic reform, and have taken a number of high profile trips to the poorer areas of China with the stated goal of understanding these areas better. Hu and Wen Jiabao have also attempted to move China away from a policy of favouring economic growth at all costs and toward a more balanced view of growth that includes factors in social inequality and environmental damage, including the use of the green gross domestic product in personnel decisions. Green Gross Domestic Product (Green GDP is an index of Economic growth with the environmental consequences of that growth factored in Jiang's clique, however, maintained control in most developing areas, therefore Hu and Wen's measures of macroeconomic regulation faced great resistance.

SARS crisis

The first crisis of Hu's leadership happened during the outbreak of SARS in 2003. Following strong criticism of China for initially covering up and responding slowly to the crisis, he dismissed several party and government officials, including the health minister, who supported Jiang, and the Mayor of Beijing, Meng Xuenong, widely perceived as Hu's protégé. The politics of Beijing is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in the mainland of the People's Republic of China. Meng Xuenong ( born August 8, 1949) is a politician of the People's Republic of China. Meng's dismissal was sometimes seen as a yielding compromise to erode Jiang's support in the party. Hu and Wen took steps to increase the transparency of China's reporting to international health organizations, indirectly dealing a blow to Jiang's stance on the issue.

Another test of Hu's leadership was Beijing's low key response to protests against the implementation of Article 23 of the Basic Law in Hong Kong in 2003. Hong Kong Basic Law Article 23 is the basis (parent statute of a Security Law proposed by the Government of Hong Kong. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders In an unprecedented move, the legislation to implement the Article was withdrawn by the Hong Kong government, after a large popular protest on July 1, 2003. "July 1st" redirects here For the Ayumi Hamasaki song see H (song. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. At the same time, Hu gave a public show of support to Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-Hwa after gauging public mood in Hong Kong. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong ( is the head of Hong Kong Government and the principal representative of the Hong Kong. Tung Chee Hwa, GBM (born 7 July 1937 Chinese calendar --> in Shanghai, China) was the first elected Many observers see the Central Government's handling of the situation as characteristic of Hu's quiet style, and unlike Tung Chee-Hwa, Hu remains a popular figure in Hong Kong. Tung Chee Hwa, GBM (born 7 July 1937 Chinese calendar --> in Shanghai, China) was the first elected

Succession of Jiang Zemin

On November 15, 2002, a new Hu Jintao-led Politburo succeeded Jiang Zemin's ten year reign. Although Jiang, then 76, stepped down from the powerful Politburo Standing Committee to make way for a younger fourth generation of leadership, there was speculation that Jiang would retain significant influence because Hu is not associated with Jiang's influential Shanghai clique, to which six out of the nine members of the all-powerful Standing Committee were believed to be linked. Because both the Communist Party of China and the People's Liberation Army promote according to seniority it is possible to discern distinct generations of Chinese The Shanghai clique or Shanghai faction ( is the name given to an informal group of officials in the Communist Party of China, especially those who serve in the central However, later developments show that many of its members have shifted their positions. Zeng Qinghong, for example, moved from a disciple of Jiang to serving as an intermediary between the two factions. Zeng Qinghong ( (born July 1939 was the Vice-President of the People's Republic of China from 2003 to 2008 ^[11] In 2003, Jiang was also reelected to the post of Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the CPC, a post from which Deng Xiaoping was able to wield power from behind the scenes as paramount leader, thus retaining military power. A Central Military Commission or National Defense Commission is an organisation typical of Communist One-party states responsible for supervising the nation's Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer Paramount Leader ( literally "the highest leader of the country" in modern Chinese Political science, unofficially refers to the political leader of the

Western observers attribute a sense of caution to Hu's philosophies, citing China's recent history of fallen heirs. Deng Xiaoping appointed three party secretaries, all designed to be successors, and was instrumental in the ousting of two of them, Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's Zhao Ziyang ( (17 October 1919&ndash17 January 2005 was a politician in the People's Republic of China. His third and final selection, Jiang Zemin, won Deng's continued, although ambiguous backing and was the only party secretary in Communist Chinese history to voluntarily leave his post when his term ended.

Although many believe Hu was originally hand-picked by Deng as the youngest member of China's top leadership and a leading candidate to succeed Jiang, he had exercised a great deal of political skills between 1992 and 2002 to consolidate his position, and eventually emerged as Jiang's heir apparent in his own right. Hu also benefited from the slow but progressive institutionalization of power succession within the Party. As a result, attempts to draw parallels with regards to Hu's succession is unreasonable. Since the early 1980s, the People's Republic of China has been marked by progressive institutionalization and rule by consensus, and moved away from the Maoist authoritarian model. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Consensus has two common meanings One is a general agreement among the members of a given group or Community, each of which exercises some discretion in Although a western-style legal institution and rule of law remain to be put in place, Hu's power succession was conducted in a fairly orderly and civil manner, which was unprecedented in Communist China's history. This trend is expected to continue and an institutionalized mechanism of power transition is expected to emerge, first perhaps within the Party. In fact, it has been one of the Party's stated major goals to create an orderly system of succession and mechanism to prevent informal rule and a cult of personality. A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise

The rivalry between Jiang and Hu after Jiang stepped down from his posts was, arguably, an inevitable product of China's tradition of succession. Some analysts argue that although Jiang has consolidated power by the time he retired, his ideological stature within the Communist Party remains shaky at best, thus Jiang had to buy time to ensure that his ideological legacy such as the Three Represents, is enshrined in China's socialism doctrine. The Three Represents ( is a socio-political ideology credited to General Secretary Jiang Zemin which became a guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China at Jiang resigned as Chairman of the Central Military Commission in September 2004, his last official post. A Central Military Commission or National Defense Commission is an organisation typical of Communist One-party states responsible for supervising the nation's Whether this is the result of pressure from Hu or a personal decision is up for speculation. Since then Hu has officially taken on the three institutions in the People's Republic of China where power lie, the state, the party, as well as the military, thus informally, has become the paramount leader. The People's Liberation Army ( PLA) ( is the unified Military organization of all land sea and air forces of the People's Republic of China. Paramount Leader ( literally "the highest leader of the country" in modern Chinese Political science, unofficially refers to the political leader of the The Hu-Jiang split, however, remains. Officially, Hu has been promoting Jiang's legacy by beginning a mass campaign in August 2006 promoting the Selected Works of Jiang Zemin, a collection of speeches and essays documenting Jiang's philosophies.

Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao inherited a China wrought with internal social, political and environmental problems. This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wen. Wen Jiabao ( (born 15 September 1942 is the Premier of the One of the biggest challenges Hu faces is the large wealth disparity between the Chinese rich and poor, for which discontent and anger mounted to a degree which wreaked havoc on communist rule. Furthermore, the cronyism and corruption plaguing China's civil service, military, educational, judicial and medical systems sought to destroy the country bit by bit. For the record label see Crony Records Cronyism is partiality to long-standing friends especially by appointing them to positions of authority See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis In the beginning of 2006, however, Hu launched the "8 Honours and 8 Disgraces" movement in a bid to promote a more selfless and moral outlook amongst the population. The Ba rong ba chi ( Eight Honors and Eight Shames) ( Simplified Chinese: 八荣八耻 Traditional Chinese: 八榮八恥 Pinyin: bā róng bā China's increasingly fragile environment has caused massive urban pollution, sandstorms and the destruction of vast tracts of habitable land. It remains to be seen if Hu, usually cautious in nature, is capable of managing the continued peaceful development of China while avoiding international incidents, at the same time presiding over an unprecedented increase in Chinese nationalist sentiment. The term nationalism can refer to an Ideology, a sentiment, a form of Culture, or a Social movement that focuses on the Nation

At the 11th National People's Congress, Hu was re-elected as President on March 15, 2008. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common He was also re-elected as Chairman of the Central Military Commission. ^[12]

Positions

Scientific Perspective and Harmonious Society

George W. Bush with Hu Jintao.

Observers indicate that Hu distinguishes himself from his predecessor in both domestic and foreign policy. President Hu Jintao's overarching vision, his political philosophy is summarized by three slogans — a “Harmonious Society” domestically and a “Peaceful Development” internationally, the former generated by a “Scientific Development Perspective,” which seeks integrated sets of solutions to arrays of economic, environmental and social problems, and recognizes, in inner circles, a need for political reform (though studied, cautious and controlled). ^[13] The role of the Party has changed, as formulated by Deng Xiaoping and implemented by Jiang Zemin, from a revolutionary party to a ruling party. Deng Xiaoping ( 22 August 1904 19 February 1997) was a prominent Chinese Revolutionary, Politician, Pragmatist and Reformer Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of Hu continues the Party’s modernization, calling for both "Advancement" of the Party and its increasing transparency in governance, thus creating the so-called "democracy of the elite" — not his or China’s description — which is still far from the Western ideal.

What emerges in the view of President Hu is the "China Model," a systematic approach to national structure and development that combines dynamic economic growth, a free market energized by a vigorous “nonpublic” (i. e. , private) sector, unrelenting political and media control, personal but not political freedoms, concern for the welfare of all citizens, cultural enlightenment, and a synergistic approach to diverse social issues (the Scientific Development Perspective) that lead, in Hu’s vision, to a Harmonious Society. The construction of a Harmonious Society ( is the dominant socio-economic vision that is said to be the ultimate end result of Chinese leader Hu Jintao 's signature Beijing sees its China Model as an alternative to Washington’s Democracy Model, particularly for developing countries. In Hu’s words, "A harmonious society should feature democracy, the rule of law, equity, justice, sincerity, amity and vitality. " Such a society, he says, will give full scope to people's talent and creativity, enable all the people to share the social wealth brought by reform and development, and forge an ever closer relationship between the people and government.

Western criticism of Hu, particularly regarding human rights, exposes his hypersensitivity to social stability but misses his fresh commitment to address China’s multi-faceted problems. Social issues in the People's Republic of China in the 21st century are varied and wide-ranging and are a combined result of the Chinese economic reforms set in place in the Hu’s pragmatic, non-ideological agenda has two core values—maintaining social stability to further economic development and sustaining Chinese culture to enrich national sovereignty. In domestic policy, he seems to want more openness to the public on governmental functions and meetings. Recently, China's news agency published many Politburo Standing Committee meeting details. He also cancelled many events that are traditionally seen as communist extravagances, such as the lavish send-off and welcoming-back ceremonies of Chinese leaders when visiting foreign lands. Furthermore the Chinese leadership under Hu has also focused on such problems as the gap between rich and poor and uneven development between the interior and coastal regions. Both party and state seem to have moved away from a definition of development that focuses solely on GDP growth and toward a more balanced definition which includes social equality and environment effects.

In 2004, Hu gave an unprecedented showing and ordered all cadres from the five major power functions to stop the tradition of going to the Beidaihe seaside retreat for their annual summer meeting which, before, was commonly seen as a gathering of ruling elites from both current and elder cadres to decide China's destiny, and also an unnecessary waste of public funds. Beidaihe District ( is a district in Qinhuangdao municipality Hebei province China. The move was seen by the Chinese public as symbolic of Hu's attitude towards corruption.

In June 2007, Hu gave an important speech at the Central Party School that was indicative of his position of power and his guiding philosophies. The Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China ( Simplified Chinese: 中共中央党校 in Beijing, also known as the Central Party School In the speech Hu used a very populist tone to appeal to ordinary Chinese, making serious note of the recent challenges China has been facing, especially with regards to income disparity. In addition, Hu noted the need for "increased democracy" in the country. Although the term has different meanings in the party than it does in the general Western sense, it shows that Hu's administration has placed political reform as an important part of the agenda in the coming years, a tone that was nonexistent during the Jiang era.

Foreign policy

In foreign policy, Hu has focused on moving away from a Jiang's U. The Foreign relations of the People's Republic of China draw upon traditions extending back to imperial China in the Qing Dynasty S. -centered foreign policy, with more diverse alliances with countries, such as Venezuela, Iran, Canada, and Australia. ^[14] He has also differed from his predecessor by actively engaging in the current North Korea nuclear crisis. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, He has also assured neighbours in the region with the concept of China's peaceful rise. China's peaceful rise ( is a phrase that has been used by scholars and officials in the People's Republic of China to describe the country's Foreign policy approach In addition, Hu has sought to strengthen ties with resource-based countries such as Brazil and Pakistan and focused on increasing China's influence in Africa, pledging aid and skilled workers to poor African nations. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Hu's stance is seen favourably by the majority in Africa. In addition, Hu's official position on many global issues, including terrorism, is similar to that of the United States. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion China has shown notable discretion on the issues of Iran's nuclear program and the War in Iraq. The nuclear program of Iran was launched in the 1950s with the help of the United States as part of the Atoms for Peace program The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign

Media control

Despite initial expectations that Hu was a "closet liberal", Hu has shown a fairly hard-line approach to liberalisation of the media.

The media has been given greater latitude in reporting many topics of popular concern, such as the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, as well as into malpractices at the local level. The 2008 Sichuan earthquake ( or " Great Sichuan Earthquake " which measured at 8 The government has also been responsive to criticism of its media policy, for example in response to the SARS epidemic, and in regard to public commemorations of popular, but deposed, former leader Hu Yaobang

Hu has been very cautious with regards to the Internet, choosing to censor politically sensitive material to a degree more strict than the Jiang era. Hu Yaobang ( Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-pang 20 November 1915&ndash15 April 1989 was a leader of the People's In February 2007, Hu embarked on further domestic media controls that restricted primetime TV series to "morally correct" content—he objected to lowbrow programming including some reality shows—on all Chinese TV stations, and listed "20 forbidden areas" of coverage on news reporting. Prime Time is the major News analysis current affairs and Politics programme broadcast on Radio Telefís Éireann in Ireland Low culture is a Derogatory term for some forms of Popular culture. Reality television is a genre of Television programming which presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations documents actual events and usually features ordinary

Taiwan

Early in his presidency, Hu faced an independence supporting counterpart in the form of then-President of the Republic of China Chen Shui-bian. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a The President of the Republic of China ( is the Head of state of the Republic of China (ROC (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. Chen called for talks without any preconditions, repudiating the 1992 consensus. The 1992 Consensus or Consensus of 1992 ( is a term describing the outcome of a meeting in 1992 between the representatives of the People's Republic of China in Chen Shui-bian and his party had continued to express an ultimate goal of Taiwanese independence, and make statements on the political status of Taiwan that the PRC considers provocative. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP ( Taiwanese: Bîn-chú-chìn-pō͘-tóng Traditional Chinese: zh-Hant 民主進步黨 Simplified Chinese: zh-Hans Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, including the Pescadores (Penghu should remain effectively independent as territory Hu's initial response was a combination of "soft" and "hard" approaches. On the one hand, Hu expressed a flexibility to negotiate on many issues of concern to Taiwan. On the other hand, he continued to refuse talks without preconditions and remained committed to Chinese reunification as an ultimate goal. There is also a specific Chinese reunification of 1928. Chinese reunification ( is a goal of Chinese nationalism that refers to While Hu Jintao gave some signs of being more flexible with regard to political relationships with Taiwan as in his May 17 Statement where he offered to address the issue of "international living space" for Taiwan, Hu's government remains firm in its position that the Mainland side will not tolerate any attempt by the Taiwanese government to declare de jure independence from China. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. The May 17 Statement, also called the May 17 Declaration, was a statement jointly issued by the Office for Taiwan Affairs under the Central Committee of the Communist Party

After the re-election of Chen Shui-bian in 2004, Hu's government changed tactics. Chen Shui-bian ( born October 12, 1950) is a Taiwanese politician and former President of the Republic of China. Hu's government has conducted a no contact policy with the then Taipei administration due to Chen Shui-Bian and the DPP's independence leanings and repudiation of the 1992 consensus. The 1992 Consensus or Consensus of 1992 ( is a term describing the outcome of a meeting in 1992 between the representatives of the People's Republic of China in The government maintained its military build-up against Taiwan, and pursued a vigorous policy of isolating Taiwan diplomatically. In March 2005, the Anti-Secession Law was passed by the National People's Congress, formalising "non-peaceful means" as an option of response to a declaration of independence in Taiwan. The Anti-Secession Law ( is a Law of the People's Republic of China. A similar term is "National Congress" which is a less common translation of People's Political Consultative Conference.

Hu's government increased contacts with the Kuomintang, then the opposition party in Taiwan. The relationship between the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang dates back before the Chinese civil war when the two parties twice co-operated in the Northern Expedition and the war against Japan. The Communist Party of China ( CPC) ( also known as the Chinese Communist Party ( CCP) is the founding and ruling political party of the The Second Sino-Japanese War ( July 7, 1937 to September 9, 1945) was a major war fought between the Republic of China and the The increased contacts culminated in the 2005 Pan-Blue visits to mainland China, including a historic meeting between Hu and then-Kuomintang chairman Lien Chan in April 2005. The 2005 Pan-Blue visits to mainland China, also known as the Third United Front of China (第三次國共合作 were a series of groundbreaking visits by delegations Lien Chan ( POJ: Liân Chùn (born August 27, 1936, in Xi'an China) is a Politician in Taiwan. ^[15][16]

On March 20, 2008, the Kuomintang won the presidency in Taiwan. It also has a majority in the Legislature. The Legislative Yuan ( is the Legislative body of the Republic of China (ROC which administers Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Compared to his predecessors, who often dictated conditions to Taiwan, Hu has been proactive in seeking ties with Taiwan, especially with the pro-unification Kuomintang party. ^[17]

A series of historical meetings between the CPC and KMT have followed. On April 12, 2008, Hu Jintao held a historic meeting with ROC's then vice-president elect Vincent Siew as chairman of the Cross-strait Common Market Fundation during the Boao Forum for Asia. Vincent C Siew ( POJ: Siau Ban-Tiong (born January 3, 1939) was the first Taiwanese born Premier of the Republic of China and former Boao Forum for Asia ( abbreviated as BFA, is a non-governmental not-for-profit International organization modelled after the World Economic Forum in On May 28, 2008, Hu met with KMT chairman Wu Po-hsiung, the first meeting between the heads of the CPC and the KMT as ruling parties. Wu Po-hsiung ( born June 19, 1939) is a politician in the Republic of China (ROC is currently chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT During this meeting, Hu and Wu agreed that both sides should re-commence official dialogue under the 1992 consensus. The 1992 Consensus or Consensus of 1992 ( is a term describing the outcome of a meeting in 1992 between the representatives of the People's Republic of China in Wu committed the new government in Taiwan against Taiwanese independence. Taiwan independence ( Pe̍h-oē-jī: Tâi-oân To̍k-li̍p ūn-tōng abbreviated to 台獨 Táidú Tâi-to̍k is a Hu committed his government to addressing the concerns of the Taiwanese people in regard to security, dignity, and "international living space", with a priority given to allowing Taiwanese participation in the World Health Organisation.

As well as the party-to-party channel, the semi-governmental dialogue channel via the Straits Exchange Foundation and the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits is scheduled to re-open in June 2008 on the basis of the 1992 Consensus, with the first meeting held in Beijing. The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF ( often abbreviated 海基會 / 海基会 is a semi-official organization set up by the Republic of China government to handle technical The Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS ( often abbreviated 海协会 / 海協會 is an organization set up by the People's Republic of China for The 1992 Consensus or Consensus of 1992 ( is a term describing the outcome of a meeting in 1992 between the representatives of the People's Republic of China in Both Hu and his new counterpart Ma Ying-jeou agree that the 1992 Consensus is the basis for negotiations between the two sides of the Taiwan strait. NOTICE*************** The 1992 Consensus or Consensus of 1992 ( is a term describing the outcome of a meeting in 1992 between the representatives of the People's Republic of China in On March 26, 2008, Hu Jintao held a telephone talk with the US President George W. Bush, in which he as the leader of CPC for the first time admitted that "1992 Consensus" sees "both sides recognize there is only one China, but agree to differ on its definition. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. The 1992 Consensus or Consensus of 1992 ( is a term describing the outcome of a meeting in 1992 between the representatives of the People's Republic of China in "^[18] The first priority for the SEF-ARATS meeting will be opening of the three links, especially direct flights between mainland China and Taiwan. The Three Links or Three Linkages (三通 Pinyin: Sān tōng are direct postal (通郵 Tōng yóu) Transportation (especially

Moral guidance

In response to the great number of social problems in China, in March 2006, Hu Jintao released the "core Socialist moral system" entitled the "Eight Honours and Eight Shames" as a set of moral codes to be followed by the Chinese people, and emphasized the need to spread the message to youth. The Ba rong ba chi ( Eight Honors and Eight Shames) ( Simplified Chinese: 八荣八耻 Traditional Chinese: 八榮八恥 Pinyin: bā róng bā ^[19] Alternatively known as the "Eight Honours and Disgraces", it contained eight poetic lines which summarized what a good citizen should regard as an honour and what to regard as a shame. It has been widely regarded as one of Hu Jintao's ideological solutions to the increasing lack of morality in China after Chinese economic reforms brought in a generation of Chinese predominantly concerned with earning money and power in an increasingly frail social fabric. The Chinese economic reform ( refers to the program of economic reforms called " Socialism with Chinese characteristics " in the People's Republic of

It has become a norm for Chinese communist leaders to make their own contributions to Marxist theory. Whether this is Hu's contribution to Marxist theory is debatable, but its general reception with the Chinese public has been moderate. Its promotion, however, is visible almost everywhere: in classroom posters, banners on the street, and electronic display boards for the preparation of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Expo 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China and is a scheduled World Expo in the grand tradition of international Fairs and expositions The codes differ from the ideologies of his predecessors, namely, Jiang Zemin's Three Represents, Deng Xiaoping Theory, and Mao Zedong Thought in that the focus, for the first time, has been shifted to codifying moral standards as opposed to setting social or economic goals. Jiang Zemin ( born 17 August 1926 was the "core of the third generation " of Communist Party of China leaders serving as General Secretary of The Three Represents ( is a socio-political ideology credited to General Secretary Jiang Zemin which became a guiding ideology of the Communist Party of China at Deng Xiaoping Theory ( also known as Dengism, is the series of political and economic ideologies first developed by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. Maoism, variably and officially known as Mao Zedong Thought ( is a variant of Marxism derived from the teachings of the late Chinese leader

Notes

References

• Nathan, Andrew J. ; Gilley, Bruce (March 2003). China's new rulers: the secret files. New York: The New York Review of Books. ISBN I-59017-072-5.  

External links

• Hu Jintao (ChinaVitae. com)
• Hu Jintao calls for upholding Marxism (Xinhua)
• China's leader shows his stripes – a January 2005 BBC article arguing that Hu is more hardline than he initially appeared
• Requiem for Reform? Zhao Ziyang's vision of political change in China dims as Hu Jintao hardens the Party line (Time Asia)
• Hu Jintao's political philosophies and policies by Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn