Premier Zhu Rongji's economic reforms will fail without greater democracy, Bao Tong, the most senior party official to be jailed over the pro-democracy movement, has warned.
'Economic reform and political reform must go together or there will be corruption and failure,' Mr Bao said in one of his first interviews since regaining his political rights two days ago, a year after his release.
Mr Bao, who was secretary to deposed party chief Zhao Ziyang, spent eight years in jail.
He said he had no detailed plan for political reform, but wanted to start at the top by creating democracy in the party.
'The two great events in the past 50 years, the Cultural Revolution and June 4, show that there should be checks and balances on political power.
'If we do not establish a system of controls then such a thing could happen again,' he said. Mr Zhao could only go as far as Deng Xiaoping allowed, but now President Jiang Zemin had a free hand to start political reforms. A first step would be Mr Zhao's release, he said.
Despite the risk of industrial unrest, this was precisely the right time to take risks.