Call for change at China's NPC
 |
Chinese President Hu Jintao is flanked by Premier Wen Jiabao, left, and former president Jiang Zemin.
Story Tools
VIDEO
|
China warns the U.S. against meddling in Hong Kong affairs.
|
| FACT BOX |
Nearly 2,900 delegates will attend the 10-day second session of the 10th National People's Congress in Beijing.
|
YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS
|
Follow the news that matters to you. Create your own alert to be notified on topics you're interested in.
Or, visit Popular Alerts for suggestions.
|
|
BEIJING, China -- China's new leadership is calling for changes to deal with the country's booming economy at the opening of its annual session of parliament.
The National People's Congress 10-day session opened on Friday with a state of the nation address by Premier Wen Jiabao.
Some 2,900 delegates will take up the growing disparity between China's rich and poor with plans to strengthen private property rights and offer economic incentives to rural areas.
"We must take more direct and effective policies ... to strengthen, support and protect agriculture and increase rural incomes in line with the needs to balance urban and rural development," Wen said in his opening speech.
Also on the agenda at the congress is China's human rights record. A draft amendment to China's constitution will include a proposal to "respect and guarantee human rights," Xinhua news agency reported.
The constitution already guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, and any changes are unlikely to lead to a floodgate of new freedoms.
However, the leadership is aiming for better governance by injecting transparency and accountability into the system.
China's growing role as an economic giant is expected to be a major focus and delegates are expected to consider reducing state subsidies and credit to businesses.
China logged economic growth of 9.1 percent in 2003 and showed an average increase of 8 percent over the last 25 years.
A new military budget is expected to be released on Saturday, days before a Taiwanese election and referendum on the missiles that China has pointed at the island.
Wen said in his opening speech that the country will "energetically carry forward" modernization of the People's Liberation Army, The Associated Press reported.
The Chinese premier is also expected to give public support to Hong Kong's chief executive.
Wen is expected to play down the differences and growing friction between Hong Kong's leadership and its people as an outspoken democracy leader met with top officials in Washington.
Opposition politician Martin Lee met U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice on Thursday and spoke to a U.S. Senate committee about democracy in the former British colony. (China warns U.S. off Hong Kong)
Wen is also calling for a resumption of dialogue with Taiwan, saying the leadership will work hard for the "peaceful reunification of the motherland."
The sides separated in 1949 during a civil war that ended with the communists taking power on the mainland.
Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
