The Party and the private airline

Chen Feng

Much of the English language coverage of the 17th party Congress has been speculation about leadership changes. It seems a little pointless; after all, there are neither hard-core Maoists nor fanatical reformers amongst the crew of bespectacled technocrats who will rule China for the next ten years.

More interesting than the succession debates are the clues to changes in Party thinking that you find in the state-owned press. Danwei earlier covered a part of Hu Jintao’s speech that talked about creating “conditions to allow even more people to enjoy income derived from property” (see Property for the masses).

Another interesting sign is the prominent coverage given to the ambitious (i.e. hard-core capitalist) businessman Chen Feng, founder of Hainan Airlines. This is what Xinhua had to say about him in the special 17th Party Congress section of their website:

Chen Feng is in the spotlight again Friday as he unraveled plans for next year’s inauguration of Grand China Air, a new carrier to consolidate four domestic airlines.

The new company will consolidate operations of Hainan Airlines, Xinhua, Chang’an and Shanxi, said Chen, chairman of Hainan Airlines Co. Ltd., the parent company…

…Hainan Airlines, based in Haikou, is China’s fourth largest carrier, as well as its first ever Sino-foreign joint venture airline company, with international financier George Soros being one of its leading shareholders.

Chen is a delegate to the ongoing 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, representing the aviation sector…

…In five years to come, Chen said he wishes to make Hainan Airlines one of the world’s top 20 carriers in terms of seat occupancy rate, revenue and profits. “Chinese entrepreneurs should face up to the globalization drive.”

That is not the kind of talk you used to hear at Party congresses.