Hu replaces Jiang to cap transition<\/p>\n
Benjamin Kang Lim, Reuters\/Beijing<\/p>\n
Former president Jiang Zemin gave up the top job in China's
\nmilitary on Sunday, handing over his last post to Communist Party
\nchief Hu Jintao to complete a historic leadership transition to a
\nyounger generation.<\/p>\n
The party's elite Central Committee accepted the resignation
\nof Jiang, 78, on the final day of a four-day closed-door plenum
\nand approved Hu's rise to chairman of the party's decision-making
\nCentral Military Commission, Xinhua news agency said.<\/p>\n
Hu, 61, who replaced Jiang as party chief in 2002 and as
\npresident in 2003, now holds the three most powerful positions in
\nChina, rounding out the first orderly succession in Chinese
\nCommunist history.<\/p>\n
\"The Hu Jintao era has started,\" said a Chinese political
\nanalyst who asked not to be identified.<\/p>\n
Hu's new job puts him in charge of the 2.5 million strong
\nPeople's Liberation Army and a powerful nuclear deterrent.<\/p>\n
The commission also includes military stalwarts Guo Boxiong,
\nCao Gangchuan, and newly appointed Xu Caihou as vice chairmen,
\nand seven other members.<\/p>\n
In another apparent victory for Hu, Vice President Zeng
\nQinghong, a protege of Jiang, failed to be named as a commission
\nvice chairman or as a member as had been widely expected.<\/p>\n
China currently has the capability to strike U.S. cities with
\na force of approximately 20 long-range Dong Feng-5 missiles, each
\narmed with a single 4- to 5-megaton warhead, they say.<\/p>\n
It also has some 80 to 100 other missiles that could strike
\ntargets in Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n
China's air strike ability is also significant.<\/p>\n
In its annual report to Congress on Chinese military power,
\nthe United States this year said China had nearly 3,400 aircraft,
\nand its share of fourth-generation planes, mainly Su-27 and Su-30
\nfighter-bombers purchased from Russia, was increasing steadily,<\/p>\n
Military-based websites say China has some 14,000 tanks,
\n14,500 artillery pieces and 453 military helicopters, along with
\n63 submarines, 18 destroyers and 35 frigates.<\/p>\n
Jiang's departure was unlikely to result in dramatic changes
\nto domestic, foreign and economic policies, with Hu set to pursue
\nthe market-friendly reforms that have transformed China into the
\nworld's seventh-largest economy.<\/p>\n
A plenum communique reinforced expectations that the former
\nhydraulic engineer would not stray from Jiang's tough stand on
\nusing force to recover Taiwan if the self-ruled island formally
\ndeclares independence -- as the plenum communique emphasized.<\/p>\n
The party \"resolutely opposes and will contain 'Taiwan
\nindependence' splittist forces and unswervingly safeguard
\nnational sovereignty and territorial integrity\", it said.<\/p>\n
Sources with close ties to the party and Jiang's family said
\nhe was in poor health and had had a heart problem since 1989.<\/p>\n
\"Now that Hu takes over the top job, people will want to know
\nhow well he can strike a balance between easing China-Taiwan
\ntensions, sustaining economic growth and maintaining China-U.S.
\nrelations, particularly when there might be a new U.S. president
\nfollowing November's election,\" said James Sung, principal
\nlecturer at City University of Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
In his resignation letter, Jiang said he had retired in hopes
\nthat his departure would standardize future generational changes.<\/p>\n
After the plenum, Jiang smiled and shook hands with Hu and
\nother delegates to sustained applause. He posed for a group
\nphotograph.<\/p>\n
\"I hope that everyone will work hard and keep advancing under
\nthe leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Hu
\nJintao as general secretary,\" Jiang said. \"I'm convinced that our
\nParty's cause will witness more and bigger victories!\"<\/p>\n
Hu credited Jiang for his \"outstanding contribution to the
\nParty, the state and the people\", and thanked Jiang for his
\n\"support and assistance\" to party leaders.<\/p>\n
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