Beijing: Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday listed
"expansion" of democracy as the "most important and
challenging priority" for China but did not specify any time
frame to bring about political reforms in the Communist
nation.
Wen specified running the country according to law,
promoting social fairness and justice, safeguarding judicial
justice, ensuring people's democratic rights and combating
corruption as the five tasks that must be undertaken in order
to promote political reforms.
"Of the five tasks, the most important and challenging
ones are to expand democracy, promote social fairness and
justice and fight against corruption," Wen said at the World
Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2011,
which is being held in northeast China's port city of Dalian.
"By doing so, disadvantaged groups will receive help
and our people will feel secure and look to the country's
future with confidence," he said in response to a question
raised by World Economic Forum Chairman Klaus Schwab,
according to official news agency Xinhua.
Wen who is scheduled to retire next year along with
President Hu Jintao to pave way for new leadership of the
ruling Communist Party of China, (CPC) is regarded as an
advocate of political reforms but had little support in the
party.
CPC has monopolised political power in China since the
country was founded in 1949.
He spoke of his wish to bring about political reforms
in the recent past but his government has not initiated any
firm steps in that direction.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 00:25