CHINA:A former top cadre in China's ruling Communist Party has called for greater democracy to ensure stability, in a magazine article just two weeks before the president, Hu Jintao, opens the 17th party congress.
Li Rui, who was once chairman Mao Zedong's secretary, made a call for greater representation for the people and for a tighter rein on the power of the ruling party in an article in the monthly history magazine Yanhuang Chunqiu (Across the Ages).
"I believe reforming our party is the crux that will decide the success or failure of all of China's reforms," wrote Li, who has been a Communist Party member for 70 years, former secretary to Chairman Mao and also a senior official under former leader Deng Xiaoping.
Most talk of democracy in China is basically meaningless, and Mr Li holds little power anymore.
But he remains an influential figure and the publication of this article, so soon before the party congress expected to cement Mr Hu's grip on power, is significant. Internal policy debates have intensified in the run-up to the congress.
Since the pro-democracy movement in China was crushed in 1989, there has been no movement to introduce universal suffrage.
The Communist Party holds on to power with a tight fist, insisting stability is more important than democratic reform.
In June, Mr Hu called for greater grassroots representation but stressed there would be no move away from single-party rule, saying the development of "socialist democracy" was the party's long-term goal.
Mr Li said the party should ensure "civic rights of freedom of expression, freedom of news, freedom of publication and freedom of association."
This is the second time recently that Mr Li has called for reform. In October he said China was headed for chaos unless economic reform was matched by democratisation.
China has been widely criticised abroad for the slow pace of political reform compared with the breakneck pace of economic growth.
As the country gets richer, Chinese people are becoming more and more aware of their rights, and the Communist Party has made strong efforts to improve transparency and fight corruption.