Pragmatic Wu stands by the law
17/3/2008 11:09
Pragmatic and amiable, Wu Bangguo has kept a low profile, though he and
the National People's Congress he leads have frequently been in the limelight
for their outstanding legislative and supervisory efforts.
"The NPC
exercises the power collectively in accordance with the law. The chairman (of
the NPC Standing Committee) enjoys the same power as the other deputies." This
is what Wu often says, largely playing down his role in the country's top
legislature.
Nevertheless, he impressed nearly 3,000 NPC deputies and was
reelected chairman of the NPC Standing Committee on Saturday at the NPC's annual
full session.
In March 2003, also on a Saturday, Wu was elected China's
top legislator to succeed Li Peng.
"The legislature exercises power on
behalf of the entire people. To improve the NPC's work, we must adhere to the
leadership of the Communist Party of China, bear in mind that the people act as
master of the country and stick to rule of law," Wu said, talking about his work
as NPC Standing Committee chairman in the last five years.
The NPC
maintains its authority because it does everything according to law, he
stressed.
One hundred new or revised laws have been adopted in China over
the past five years, Wu said in a report to the NPC annual session.
The
words that "the State respects and preserves human rights" and "the State, in
accordance with the law, protects the rights of citizens to private property and
to its inheritance" are for the first time enshrined in the amended
Constitution, setting a milestone in China's constitutional
history.
Observers see the Law on Property Rights, designed to protect
private property and state-owned property, as the most brilliant progress
achieved in Wu's tenure as the top law maker.
China's booming market
economy has benefited from new laws including the Law on Property Rights, the
Law on Corporate Income Tax, the Antitrust Law and Banking Oversight and
Management Law and Securities Law.
Analysts attribute it to Wu's efforts,
believing his rich experience in economic work and industrial development adds
to his insight into the legal framework for a socialist market
economy.
Wu, a native of Feidong, east Anhui Province, came up through
the ranks in Shanghai, where he became a Standing Committee member of the
Shanghai Municipal Committee of the CPC in 1983 and Party chief in 1991. Through
his reform measures, Shanghai was pushed to the frontline of reform and
opening-up and cemented its status as the country's largest industrial city and
economic hub.
Wu was elected member of the Political Bureau of the CPC
Central Committee in 1992 and moved to work in Beijing two years later. He
became vice premier in 1995.
During the following eight years as vice
premier, Wu mainly took charge of economic work and trade, transportation and
communications, energy, the information industry and social security. He always
upholds the "three nevers" principle - never abuse power for personal gains,
never be lazy and never evade responsibilities.
He often jokes with the
staff working for him, impressing on them not to use political jargon. Born in
1941, Wu went to study at the prestigious Tsinghua University in
1960.
Xinhua
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