CHINA GETS RARE CRITICISM AT PEOPLE'S CONGRESS
Charges of public sector waste,
corruption and neglect of agriculture have surfaced amid the
compliments in debates at the annual session of China's
parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC).
    China's top entrepreneur Rong Yiren, chairman of the China
International Investment and Trust Corporation (CITIC), who
also represents Shanghai in the NPC, attacked the "profit before
everything" mentality which he said led to theft, embezzlement
and extravagant gifts and banquets.
    Public criticism of policy is rare in China.
    The New China News Agency quoted comments by NPC members on
Premier Zhao Ziyang's draft work program for the year ahead.
    The rural lobby was active. Deputies from three provinces
said Zhao was not forceful enough in tackling their problems.
One said the state had cut spending on agriculture from 11 pct
of total capital investment in 1979 to three or four pct today.
"This is incompatible with the important place occupied by
agriculture," he said.
    Other deputies said the state had broken promises to
improve fertiliser, oil and seed supplies to their provinces.
    Although another congress member was quoted by the agency
as saying Zhao's opening speech last week was "discreet,
appropriate, comprehensive and assuring," others said the
government had spent too much or too little. One member said
people were worried about the state's budget deficit, projected
at more than two billion dlrs this year.
 Reuter
