Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China
(CPC) Central Committee, hailed China's success in fighting SARS
Monday, saying that the victory further indicated the eminent
superiority of socialism and made the people of all ethnicities in
the country more confident in taking the socialist road with
Chinese characteristics.
While achieving a major victory in the anti-SARS campaign, China
had maintained relatively rapid economic growth, said Hu, also
state president, attributing the achievements to the staunch
leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the
correct guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important theory
of "Three Represents", and the united efforts of the Party and the
people.
Hu made these remarks at a national working conference on the
issue of SARS prevention and control, presided over by Premier Wen
Jiabao, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central
Committee Political Bureau, who also addressed the meeting.
Also present at the meeting were other members of the Standing
Committee of the CPC Central Committee Wu Bangguo, Jia Qinglin,
Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo
Gan.
In his speech, Hu recalled the arduous course China had
experienced in the fight against the disease. On behalf of the CPC
Central Committee and the State Council, he extended cordial and
lofty greetings to the country's medical workers, scientists and
all those who had devoted themselves to the anti-SARS campaign.
Hu also expressed his heart-felt thanks to the overseas Chinese
and Chinese nationals residing in other countries, as well as
foreign countries, institutions and individuals who had contributed
vocal or material support to China's anti-SARS drive.
"At this moment, we want to extend our condolences to the
martyrs who laid down their lives in this battle as well as those
compatriots who have been deprived of their lives by SARS," he
noted.
Hu went on to sum up the experience China had accumulated and
obtained in the fight against SARS and emphasized that the
leadership of the Party was the key factor for the country to
promote its undertakings and overcome difficulties. He called for
further strengthening and improving Party leadership and firmly
safeguarding the solidarity and unity of the Party.
Meanwhile, Hu acknowledged that numerous problems had been
exposed through the anti-SARS campaign, such as the lack of
coordination between the country's economic and social development
and between urban and rural development; the backwardness of public
health facilities and flaws in the public health system; and the
inadequacy of the emergency treatment mechanism. He expressed his
hope that the campaign could be an important opportunity to improve
the work of the government.
Premier Wen Jiabao told the meeting that China would strive to
establish a mechanism to handle public emergencies, a disease
control system, and a system to supervise the implementation of
laws in the field of public health in a period of around three
years.
(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2003)