The working class will remain China's leading class, representing the country's advanced production forces, the mainland's top union chief said yesterday.
'The nature of our party, our country and the historic position and role of the working class have determined that we must unswervingly uphold the basic guiding principle of serving the working class wholeheartedly,' Wei Jianxing, chairman of the All China Federation of Trade Unions, told a seminar in Beijing.
The comments by Mr Wei, a Politburo Standing Committee member, come ahead of the annual Beidaihe meetings, where the mainland's leaders are expected to discuss the revision of the party's constitution to admit private entrepreneurs. Sources said the meetings were expected to begin later this week.
Mr Wei's remarks featured prominently in the main news programme last night. They also follow an article run by Xinhua and to be published in the party publication Qiushi declaring that private entrepreneurs would never constitute an independent class.
Analysts said the timing of Mr Wei's remarks and the Qiushi article was significant as they were meant to influence the Beidaihe talks.
A commentary released yesterday by Xinhua said the status of the working class as masters of the country had not changed, although some working-class people had experienced 'changes in their working posts'.