Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday praised Jiang Zemin, who retired from the chairmanship of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Sunday, for his "noble character, sterling integrity and broad-mindedness."

"Jiang's decision to resign his post as chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission was made after meticulous consideration," said Hu, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, who succeeded Jiang as China's top military chief at the end of the Fourth Plenum of the 16th CPC Central Committee on Sunday.

"He (Jiang) stands high, sees afar and reckons deep," Hu said. "Chairman Jiang's noble character, sterling integrity and broad-mindedness has set a splendid example for us," said Hu at an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission attended by Jiang.

Now Jiang Zemin's ideas on national defence and army building will be included among the thoughts of the other great Chinese leaders, Hu said.

Those ideas will stand besides Chinese military studies and practices and the writings of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

Hu went on to say that Jiang has made "outstanding contributions" to the military and the country during the past 15 years when he served as CMC chairman and during the 13 years prior to the 16th CPC National Congress when serving as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Hu stressed that the most important issue for the building and development of the Chinese army is to adhere to the Party's absolute leadership over the armed forces.

"We can never be ambiguous or vacillating in our stance" at any time or under any circumstance in upholding the principle, Hu said.

At present, the most important, most realistic and most pressing task is to make the army ready for combat by constantly improving its training and performance, Hu said.

Jiang Zemin expressed his strong support to Hu's succession at the meeting, urging all to "resolutely support" Hu's work.

"Comrade Jintao is the general secretary of the Party and president of the State, so it's natural and convincing for him to take over as the chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC)," said Jiang.

"All of you must advocate the Party Central Committee's decision and resolutely support his work," Jiang said.

Jiang praised the 61-year-old Hu as a "young and energetic" leader with "rich leading experience" and "excellent qualifications."

"Since he started to serve as CMC vice-chairman in 1999, he was directly involved in the making of a series of major decisions regarding army building," said Jiang.

He explained that for a large party like the CPC and a large country like China, "it is not only necessary, but also the most appropriate option to adopt a three-in-one leadership system under which Party general secretary, State president and CMC chairman is the same person."

"To hand over this three-in-one duty to Comrade Jintao is conducive to the long-term development of the cause of the Party and the military, to the stability and prosperity of the country in the long run, as well as to upholding the fundamental principle and system of the Party's absolute leadership over the military," Jiang noted.

"As a veteran communist, I would like to express some hope on all of you here," Jiang said to all those present at the meeting.

"First, I hope the military will always resolutely follow the Party's instructions and guidance, obey the orders from the Party and accept the Party's absolute leadership," said Jiang.

"Second, I hope the military will always preserve the political nature of the Red Army... to carry on our army's glorious tradition and fine style of work one generation after another," Jiang added.

He went on to express the hope that the Chinese military would try hard to "stand in the front of the global tide of military development," and that the military would constantly "consolidate and develop a high level of (internal) solidarity and unity."

Also, "I hope that military will earnestly fulfill its sacred mission of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Jiang.

(China Daily September 21, 2004)