BEIJING, Feb 22: China’s little known heir-apparent, Hu Jintao, emerged from the shadowy world of communist officialdom on Friday to meet US President George W, Bush, in what experts said was further evidence of his likely succession to the leadership.
Hu, a diligent and unshowy career cadre who is currently vice president, briefly met Bush Friday morning at Beijing’s elite Qinghua University, state media and US officials said, without giving details of the meeting.
He then emerged somewhat gingerly into the international spotlight to introduce Bush before a gathering of students, to whom the US leader delivered a speech.
The very public showing-off of Hu, coupled with an invitation for him to visit the United States, announced on Thursday, clearly shows the vice president is being prepared to succeed President Jiang Zemin, analysts said.
Jiang is due to step down as Communist Party leader later this year and head of state in early 2003, and although nothing is certain in the murky world of top Chinese politics, Hu is widely tipped to take over both posts.
“This was definitely part of a plan to groom Hu to give him proper exposure before the international media before he takes over as secretary general of the Communist Party sometime this autumn,” said political scientist Joseph Cheng of Hong Kong’s City University.
Even by the time Bush arrived in Beijing on Thursday, it had still not been announced whether he would meet Hu, and the vice president’s role in introducing the US leader’s speech was also kept secret.
The subterfuge echoes the fact that despite his senior role, remarkably little is known abroad about Hu, a 59-year-old who has slowly climbed through the communist ranks, filling roles such as governor of Tibet.
His rise began as long ago as 1992, when late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping selected him as the lead figure of a so-called “fourth generation” of leaders, now expected to take the communist reins in a process beginning at the 16th Communist Party Congress this autumn.
In 1998, Hu was appointed vice president, giving him a higher profile and more exposure to foreign countries.
He was then appointed vice chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission in 1999.
During the US-led NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in May 1999, the leadership deliberately chose Hu to deliver a speech on national television authorizing anti-American demonstrations.
Also, following the collision between a US spy plane and Chinese fighter jet off the south China coast early last year, Jiang chose to continue a trip to South American countries and let Hu preside over the aftermath at home, Cheng noted.
Last year, Hu further boosted his profile with visits to major European countries and over recent months his exposure in the state-run media has increased, with many stories painting him as a caring leader.
“Had it not been for the spy plane incident and September 11, Hu probably would have been in the United States last year,” Cheng said.
“Hu’s been anointed by Deng and no one wants to challenge Deng’s decision,” Cheng said.
However, observers note, there is still much other jockeying for positions going on, especially over who will take over from Premier Zhu Rongji and legislature chairman Li Peng.—AFP