A year to remember for Chinese leader

Business Asia, Dec 13, 1999

Chinese leader Jiang Zemin moved nearer to joining Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping among China's Communist Party greats when his portrait was carried alongside theirs for the first time in a recent Chinese national day celebration.

The display of Jiang's visage joined those of his revolutionary predecessors during intricately planned mass celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of modern China, as a 500,000-strong procession passed in front of Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

Perhaps as importantly, Jiang has been assuming a higher profile on the world stage in guiding China into the global economy.

Consequently, China is on the brink of a landmark admission to the World Trade Organisation -- a breakthrough that promises to revolutionise the mainland and world trade.

For this leadership, Business Asia names President Jiang as its Asian of the Year for 1999.

Critics will contend that Beijing's questionable human rights record should strike Jiang off any honours list, but the path toward reform was always going to be potted.

Significantly, Jiang has embraced the West on his terms, while China's leadership on economic matters -- notably its restraint in handling the renminbi -- has contributed to Asia's stability in the aftermath of Asia's financial crisis. And China's relatively tame response to the accidental bombing of its embassy in Belgrade shows that the world's most populous nation is maturing diplomatically.

As head of state and general secretary of the Communist Party of China, Jiang must take much of the credit.

Many see Jiang, now 73, as more distant than his right-hand man, Zhu Rongji, emphasised by his tendency never to stray from set party phrases in his speeches.

But he has grown into the role.

His next task entering the new millennium will be to ensure that a worthy successor is groomed.

To this end, Jiang has formed a top-level personnel committee to identify leaders, particularly "fourth-generation" or younger cadres, for a wide array of positions.

There is speculation that Jiang will groom Zeng Qinghong, a member of the Politburo, or Li Changchun, party secretary of Guangdong, as future leaders.

But for now, Jiang -- our Asian of the Year -- holds the reins.