Programmatic Document Guiding Cross-Century Reform and Development of SOEs ����Soon after the conclusion of the Fourth Plenum of the 15th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held between September 19-22, which adopted the CPC Central Committee's Decision on Some Major Issues Concerning the Reform and Development of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Wu Bangguo, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice-premier of the State Council, was interviewed by the correspondent of the Study Time and answered the latter's questions. Following are the main points of the interview: Regarding the immediate and historical significance of the Decision, Wu said, the Decision is based mainly on three aspects of consideration: First, the system change and structural readjustment of State-owned enterprises are currently in the decisive stage, which face many deep-seated contradictions and problems and require that we accelerate advancing the reform and development of SOEs. Particularly at the turn of the century, under the circumstance that externally, we are opposing hegemonism and power politics, internally, we are safeguarding the unification of the country, it is necessary to enhance China's overall national strength, to achieve this, it is imperative to run SOEs well. Second, successful operation of SOEs has a great bearing on the general situation regarding reform, development and stability. Making the reform and development of SOEs a success is conducive to improving the overall quality of the State-owned economy and the economic efficiency, to bringing the national economy really on to the road of high rate, good efficiency and sound development, and to bringing bout the stability and unity of the whole society and the long-term peace and tranquility of the State. Third, conditions are available for making the Decision. We have effective theoretical guidance, rich experience, solid material and technological foundation, better condition and larger rooms for movement, and gradually improved external environment for the reform and development of SOEs. ����Regarding the main contents of the Decision, Wu said, the Decision expounds on the main targets and guidelines for the reform and development of SOEs, sets forth the policies, measures and working plans for achieving these targets. The 12 points listed in the Decision are all major issues concerning the reform and development of China's State-owned enterprises. ����Regarding the principal characteristics of the Decision, the vice-premier said, the Decision contains mainly the following characteristics: First, It gives full expression to the essence of the 15th National Congress of the Party, it has a strong ideological content; second, it adheres to the principle of emancipating the mind and seeking truth from fact and is highly innovative. Third, it comprehensively sums up the practical experience and provides a strong guidance. Fourth, it devotes major efforts to solving outstanding problems, the policies and measures are strongly operational. ����Regarding the question of from which aspects should efforts be made to implement the Decision, Wu Bangguo said, At present, conscientious efforts should be made to grasp the following five links: First, accelerating the pace of structural readjustment and enterprise reorganization. Second, adhering to the reform orientation for the establishment of a modern enterprise system. Third, concentrating efforts to solve the outstanding problems currently facing enterprises. Fourth, promoting enterprise technical progress and industrial upgrading. Fifth, establishing and perfecting the social security system. ����Regarding how to approach the prospect of the reform and development of State-owned enterprises, Wu said, pressing forward the reform and development of State-owned enterprises indeed involves many difficulties, but at the same time there are many favorable conditions: We have the Party's unified leadership; rich experiences accumulated over the past many years of reform; much greater comprehensive national strength; and the guidance of the present Decision and a series of new policies and measures. So long as the whole Party works with one heart and in a down-to-earth manner, then the three-year target and the 10-year goal set in the Decision can certainly be realized. Economicnews 1999-10-08 Page2 Full Story in Chinese