Vice-President Hu Jintao yesterday took the helm as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, promising to carry on with the policies set by his predecessor, President Jiang Zemin.

Despite a generational change of leadership, with eight new members joining Mr Hu on the expanded Politburo Standing Committee, Mr Jiang, 76, remains chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission. This is a sure sign he will play a pivotal role as paramount leader behind the scenes, as did Deng Xiaoping after he relinquished his other party posts in 1987.

The composition of the Politburo Standing Committee - the party's highest decision-making body - was only confirmed when Mr Hu, 59, and his fellow members yesterday strode out from behind a wooden screen in the Great Hall of the People.

The subsequent short meeting with the press, televised nationwide, was a key element in what is being described as China's first orderly transfer of power. It will culminate in March, with a massive shake-up of government which is expected to see Mr Hu assume the presidency.

Looking poised and speaking without notes, the party's new General Secretary vowed to fulfil policy objectives set by Mr Jiang, including the implementation of his 'Theory of the Three Representatives'. Enshrined in the party constitution this week by the 16th congress, the theory calls for the party to broaden its base by embracing entrepreneurs and other elites as members.

Mr Hu also said he would push ahead with Mr Jiang's other reforms and economic liberalisation. 'All these reflect the will of the entire Communist Party of China and represent the aspiration of people of all ethnic groups in China,' Mr Hu said.

'They are the political declaration and action plan for our party in the new development stage of the new century.'

Mr Hu pledged that the new central leadership would 'unswervingly and persistently' push ahead with reforms and modernisation of China. 'We will live up to the great trust of the entire party and the expectations of people across the country, hold high the great banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory, fully implement the important thought of Three Representatives, and earnestly fulfil various tasks put forth by the 16th party congress,' Mr Hu said.

Mr Hu was formally elected to the party's top position yesterday morning at the first plenary session of the new Central Committee. It also elected the rest of the Politburo Standing Committee, other members of the Politburo, the Central Military Commission, and the party's secretariat.

The membership of the Standing Committee has been expanded from seven to nine while the full members of the Politburo increase from 22 to 24. The dominance of Mr Jiang is reflected in the composition of the Standing Committee, with five of the nine members widely known to be Mr Jiang's allies. The Politburo and its secretariat are also packed with his supporters.

Mr Jiang will remain president until March when he hands over the title to Mr Hu at the National People's Congress (NPC).

Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo, 61, has emerged as second in the party hierarchy and looks set to replace Li Peng as NPC chairman. Mr Wu is the former party boss of Shanghai, Mr Jiang's power base.

Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao, 60, third in the line-up, is the most likely candidate to succeed Zhu Rongji as Premier.

Next is Jia Qinglin, a close friend of Mr Jiang, who is expected to become the chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, replacing Li Ruihuan. His appointment to the Standing Committee comes in spite of his reputation having been tainted by the mainland's largest smuggling case, which occurred during his reign as party boss of Fujian.

At No 5 is Zeng Qinghong. Mr Jiang's most trusted aide has also been appointed as the secretary of the Politburo's secretariat, and is most likely to be responsible for running day-to-day party affairs. He is likely to become state vice-president in March.

Sixth in the rankings is Huang Ju, another former party boss of Shanghai. He is likely to become executive vice-premier next March.

Wu Guanzheng, in seventh place, has taken up the chairmanship of the party's anti-graft watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Li Changchun, another of Mr Jiang's supporters, fills the eighth spot and is expected to quit his post as party boss of Guangdong and take up the portfolio which includes propaganda. At 58, Mr Li is the youngest Standing Committee member.

Luo Gan, Li Peng's protege and last in the standing committee, is the oldest at 67. Mr Luo will continue to be responsible for his old portfolio of law and order.

The Politburo line-up provides a broad hint as to the future composition of the inner circle of the governing State Council.

New Politburo members including State Councillor Wu Yi, Sichuan party boss Zhou Yongkang, and Zeng Peiyan, chief of State Development Planning Commission, are strong front-runners to become vice-premiers in March.

Party officials welcomed the changes yesterday and voiced confidence in the new team.

'I have total confidence in the new leadership as I know most of them quite well,' said Wang Xiaofeng, deputy party secretary and Hainan governor. 'They have the capabilities to deal with complex situations, economic or otherwise.'

Mr Wang, a Central Committee member who took part in yesterday's voting, added: 'Many of them have been heads of the government departments or party chiefs of the important regions for quite a long time and they have done a good job.'