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SCMP Reporter

PREMIER Li Peng has lashed out at foreign critics for predicting turmoil in China after the death of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping.

  In an interview with the bimonthly China Talents, the Prime Minister strongly criticised 'certain foreign critics' who claimed there would be chaos in the mainland in the years of transition.

  Excerpts of the interview were released by the semi-official China News Service last night.

  'There are some constant rumours that the political situation in China is unstable and there will be turmoil.

  '[These critics said] we haven't overcome our succession problem and manufactured rumours about internal [struggles of] our leadership,' the premier was quoted as saying.

  'They always fantasise there will be changes in China,' he said.

  He said it was obvious that those responsible for the rumours had 'ulterior motives', and he warned: 'They can never succeed.'   Despite what some critics claimed, Mr Li said the present leadership - led by communist Party General Secretary and President, Jiang Zemin - would not stray from the reformist theories championed by Mr Deng.

  Such a view was shared by 'some unbiased foreign politicians', he added.

  Mr Li also had words of criticism for foreign countries, who he claimed were espousing the theory of China being a threat.

  'Now there are some anti-China forces in Western countries who propagate the 'China Threat' theory, exaggerating China's economic force and saying China has become the third superpower,' Mr Li reportedly said.

  'This is not objective,' he added.

  He said although China now had the technology to launch satellites and build electrified railways, these achievements only manifested the 'superiority of socialism' not China's ambition to seek hegemonism in the region.

  He believed it would take at least another 30 years before China could reach her modernisation goals.

  The Government will concentrate its efforts on developing the economy, he said.

  In the interview, Mr Li also commented on what he believes are the essential qualities of a Chinese leader.

  Mr Li, who is expected to step down after his present term in 1998, said a real politician must have a 'selfless mind' and always put public interests before his own.

 A good politician must follow the principle of 'five lakes and four seas' - a Chinese proverb which has been used by Chinese leaders to mean uniting forces from different factions and avoiding power blocs.

 'He must be able to unite forces from all corners of the land,' he said.

  Without an established system of promotion and dismissal, the Chinese leadership has been criticised for widespread nepotism and favouritism.

  Mr Li also drew a distinction between a socialist politician and a capitalist one.

  Altruism instead of self-interest must always take precedence for a socialist politician, he said.



Li slams foreign critics for crisis forecast