(5 Mar 1995) Natsound
China's prime minister said Sunday the country must end corruption and bring down inflation.
Premier Li Peng made his remarks at the opening session of the national legislature in Beijing.
The People's National Congress - expected to be the last before Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping dies - is likely to be the scene of political maneuvering as Deng's successors attempt to establish their positions as China's new rulers.
Outside in the early morning sun of Tiananmen Square the People's Army were on ceremonial parade.
Inside the Great Hall of the People, three thousand-odd delegates are at the National People's Congress on its opening day.
Its a rubber stamp parliament which is scheduled to back laws on areas ranging from banking, insurance industries, to contracts and bankruptcies.
But behind the scenes this congress is also a valuable occasion for political maneuvering.
Deng Xiaoping is widely reported to be in failing health, and the country's leaders stress the country is now in the hands of a new generation of leaders centered around President Jiang Zemin.
One of the men marked for succession is Premier Li Peng who gave the opening speech.
In significant departure from the past, he referred to Deng Xiaoping just three times in his speech.
In the past, Li has frequently invoked the ailing Deng's name. The change may be intended to prepare the nation for the 90-year-old leader's passing.
Li is himself 66 years old and in poor shape after suffering a heart attack last year. But he has powerful backing from the country's conservatives who have been worried about the pace of economic reform and the popular discontent it has created.
According to Li some inflation was unavoidable because of price reforms but economic growth must be slowed in order to bring down it down.
Li also stressed that need to wipe out corruption calling it a matter of life and death for the country,
Today Tiananmen Square is filled with sightseers but the leadership won't forget that in 1989 over a million residents joined a student protest against corrupt government.
Chinese dissidents are petitioning Congress for political reforms and an end to forced labour camps.
Every Chinese citizen has the right to petition the annual Congress - except those who have a police record - and that means almost all of the dissidents.
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Негізгі бет CHINA: PREMIER LI PENG CONGRESS SPEECH
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