BEIIJING (Thomson Financial) - Although China's mild-mannered Prime Minister
Wen Jiabao lamented his government's shortcomings in his annual "State of the
Union" address, parliament voted him in for a second-term on Sunday.
Not that they had much choice. He was the only candidate available to the
nearly 3,000 members of the National People's Congress.
Even so, it is very likely that he has a genuine following not just among
lawmakers, but in the population at large, as few Chinese leaders have ever
shown his almost Clintonesque capacity for empathy.
Since he came to power in 2003, 65-year-old Wen has visited AIDS patients,
commiserated with miners after fatal accidents and held hands with poor farmers
whose crops were destroyed by unseasonal weather.
He has generally projected an image of a down-to-earth politician deeply in
touch with the needs of China's poorest, an image that has been widely welcomed
by ordinary Chinese.
During his work report on the opening day of the parliamentary session Wen
kept to script and openly admitted having troubles reining in China's galloping
economy and lambasted his government for corrupt and inefficient ways.
"There are still some prominent issues and deep-rooted problems affecting
economic performance," Wen said in his March 5 report.
"We are keenly aware that the work and accomplishments of the government
still fall somewhat short of what circumstances require and the people expect.
Some government employees have an inadequate sense of responsibility... and are
not competent enough."
But in the eyes of some, being honest about flaws and faults may not be
enough when in charge of the world's fourth-largest economy.
Faced with challenges such as soaring inflation and the risk of economic
overheating, Wen has often come across as weak, especially in comparison with
his predecessor, the hard-hitting, no-nonsense Zhu Rongji.
"Wen's cabinet has been seen as reacting to events and failing to put
together strong policies, especially on the economy," veteran China watcher
Willy Wo-Lap Lam told Agence France-Presse.
"The most important thing to watch is to see whether the second Wen Jiabao
cabinet is stronger than his first," Lam said.
Since he was renamed to the powerful nine-member of the Politburo Standing
Committee at a key Communist Party congress last October, it was widely expected
that Wen would get a second term as prime minister.
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