Jiang Xipei, president of the Far East Co., Ltd., a privately owned enterprise with assets of 1.2 billion yuan (US$145.15 million) based in Jiangsu, is a delegate to the congress. He is one of a few representing entrepreneurs of private businesses among the 2,114 delegates to the congress, the majority of whom are from various ministries and governmental departments, the military forces, provincial governments, universities and research institutes, public establishments and rural areas. Though his group is the smallest, it is in no way the least, as it is first time a CPC national congress has delegates of private business owners.

"Jiang Zemin's report is very inspiring," said Jiang emotionally in an interview with china.org.cn. "It says the Party will firmly encourage, support and guide the development of non-public sectors." Jiang Xipei joined the Party in 1991 as a private entrepreneur, a practice unprecedented in the Party's history. "We are more assured about the government's policies and my company will surely made a headway. I believe there will be an even better environment for our growth."

The report shows that the Chinese Communist Party is a leading party that progresses with the times. Jiang Xipei said the joining of private entrepreneurs like him to the Party shows that non-public sectors have also been recognized as a force of socialist construction. "The Party and the people trust us and I, as a Party member and an entrepreneur, will undoubtedly reciprocate more to the people and the society," said Jiang, whose company has funded many social welfare projects, including establishing Hope Schools, building roads, supporting poor college students and setting up homes for the aged.

Jiang's report says it's improper to judge whether a person is politically advanced or not simply by his financial status. The current congress will hold a formal discussion on the matter of allowing private business owners to join the Party.

Zhan Shengda, another private-entrepreneur delegate from Jiangsu, is from the Jiangsu Zongyi Group. He thinks the report will usher in a golden time for Chinese private firms.

"I noticed it's the first time that the word firmly' is used in a Party report to describe its support for private business," says Zhan. "I believe all private entrepreneurs will be stimulated by the report. China will see a more sound and quicker growth of private businesses."

Private enterprises in China actually have the equal rights in competition with state-owned enterprises in many fields. In addition, more and more fields will open to the non-public sector. Zhan said he is going to seize the precious opportunity to accelerate the development of his company. "As a Party member," he added, "I will continue my efforts in creating more jobs and helping more people raise their living standard. I hope I can help more people become millionaires or even billionaires."

Chinese governments at all levels have adopted many measures, including issuing more bank loans, widening market access and reducing taxes, to back the development of private enterprises. Zeng Peiyan, chairman of the State Development and Planning Commission, reveals at a press conference yesterday that the country will let private enterprises issue bonds to raise funds as long as these firms have good credibility.

Private enterprises have contributed to socialist construction and created many job opportunities for the society. Their successful experience can also serve the reform of SOEs, said Zeng.

Liang Baohua, vice-governor of Jiangsu Province, says that Jiangsu has adopted flexible and preferential policies towards private enterprises, including that of land-use right, taxation and foreign trade. They are encouraged to take a bolder step in their development and even go overseas to occupy larger markets.

Jiangsu is a bastion of private enterprises in China. It has 267,000 private firms, the most in China, with total registered assets of 180 billion yuan (US$21.77 billion). It occupies one fourth of the economic component of the province.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Guo Xiaohong November 12, 2002)