China's Wen says to tackle graft, address complaints

Enlarge Photo Locals clap as they watch a TV programme showing China's Premier Wen Jiabao deliver a...

Wed, Mar 5 10:44 AM

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged to tackle corruption and better handle citizens' complaints on Wednesday, as tight security kept any hint of dissent from marring his annual address.

Outside the Great Hall of the People, where Wen was opening China's annual session of parliament, a lone protester complaining of corruption threw leaflets in the air before being tackled by police and tossed into a waiting van.

Inside, Wen told delegates China would improve its handling of social tensions in a country whose widening wealth gap and rampant graft have fuelled unrest.

"We will do a good job handling complaints in the form of letters and visits from the public and improve the system for handling complaints," Wen said.

"Letters and visits" is one of China's few outlets to bring grievances to officials, but critics say such complaints are rarely resolved, and petitioners seeking redress are typically cleared from Beijing ahead of showpiece events like parliament.

In an open letter to Wen, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged an end to repression of activists and petitioners.

"Repression against petitioners remains endemic despite official recognition that the majority of them have valid grievances," the letter said.

The group also urged parliament to ratify the U.N. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which China signed a decade ago but has yet to formally approve.

"In the year of the Olympics, the world is watching China," Human Rights Watch said. Beijing is host of the 2008 Games, which open on Aug. 8.

Wen stressed China needs to curb corruption, an issue leaders have warned is so widespread it threatens the legitimacy of the ruling Communist Party.

In particular, China should tackle problems of excessive concentration of power and lack of checks on power, he said.

"We will prosecute all violations of the law and discipline, strictly curb bribery in business, resolutely bring corrupt people to justice and prosecute them to the full extent of the law," he told delegates.

Wen also pledged to strengthen rule of law and deepen reform of political institutions, echoing calls made at a leadership meeting last week.

Analysts say there is a lack of consensus within the Communist Party about how to liberalise and by how much, and any reforms are likely to be incremental.

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