Extracts. Private Enterprises' Employees Become CPC Representatives This capital of the northeastern province of Jilin has seen 130 employees from private enterprises elected representatives to the first provincial Party congress of private enterprises. In recent years, an increasing number of people from private enterprises have joined the Communist Party of China, setting up 13 Party committees and 378 branches, with a total of 9,000 Party members. Statistics show that the private sector of the province has witnessed rapid development over the past years, paying 1.65 billion yuan (199 million US dollars) in taxes last year, up 34.4 percent from the previous year and accounting for 9.1 percent of the province's total revenue. **** Senior Official Calls for Reform of Trade Union Leadership Wei Jianxing, chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), has called for the reform of the leadership of the trade union. Wei, who is also a standing committee member of the Political Bureau of Communist Party of China (CPC), made the call Sunday at a meeting of the ACFTU's 13th executive committee. In his speech, Wei stressed that the first and foremost duty for trade unions at all levels is to protect the legitimate rights of workers, including their political rights as the master of the country. He pointed out the reform of the leadership is crucial for the trade union to fulfill its duties. A reform program of the ACFTU was discussed at Sunday's meeting. **** Chinese Mayors Urged to Better Serve People Top Chinese leaders Sunday reminded mayors across the country of their duties in saving historical relics, protecting environment, and "better serving the people" as urbanization drive is quickening in China. In a letter to about 500 mayors attending the Third National Congress of the Chinese Association of Mayors (CAM), President Jiang Zemin urged them to "study hard to enhance abilities in the management of modern cities" in order to "better serve citizens." "Mayors are shouldering very important responsibilities for urbanization which is vital to the country's modernization," said Jiang, who himself assumed the mayor of Shanghai in the 1985-1987 period. By the year 2000, China's urban population had increased to 456 million, more than one third of the country's total, in about 660 cities and 20,000 towns, compared with 57.6 million in 136 cities and 5,400 towns half a century ago. Urban areas now contribute more than 70 percent of national gross domestic products, industrial output value and retail sales. Addressing the closing ceremony of the CAM Congress, vice- premier Wen Jiabao said that "China's Urbanization will continue to be accelerated as China is entering into a new phase of modernization." Wen urged the mayors to pay special attentions to the protection of historical relics, conservation of water resources, as well as a harmonic development of economy, population, natural resources and environment in the course of urban construction. Water shortage has emerged as a major problem in many cities, Wen said. Statistics show that some 400 cities do not have enough water to supply, and about 110 cities are facing severe shortage of water. The vice-premier also stressed the importance of construction of greenery and sustainable development of the cities. The CAM, whose 5,000 members are leading officials of 660 cities, was initiated in 1991. **** Castro Demands Release of Five Cubans Detained by U.S. Speaking to an audience of 60,000 in a Havana neighborhood, Castro asked for "justice to be made and freedom of these five patriot brothers." He was sure that they would be back but the fight for their freedom would be a hard and long battle. He warned that the American authorities will have no other alternative than releasing the five "because they won't be able to pay the political and moral cost, if they keep on upholding their imputations." Regarding the conspiracy accusation of murder, he refuted that "this accusation will be made dust, because the innocence of these citizens is total and this we can prove." The five detained "were only collecting reports about terrorist activities, which groups of citizens of Cuban origin launched to oppose to the revolutionary process on the island from American territory." Since December 2000, each Saturday, at a different Cuban locality, popular protests are carried out against Washington's hostile policy against Havana. After delivering a speech lasting two hours, Castro's voice began to falter and he had to interrupt his speech because of the scorching heat. But he went back to the open tribunal 10 minutes later and assured the audience, "I'm fine, don't worry." "I could not finish (my speech), but I'll finish it this afternoon ... I'll rest a few hours," said the 74-year-old Cuban leader. Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque quickly assumed the microphone and explained that Castro worked overnight without rest or eating any food. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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