Very few heads of state could have had a tighter diplomatic schedule than Hu Jintao over the past five years. He set foot in dozens of countries in both the developed and developing worlds. He shook hands with 48 heads of state and government from Africa at the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, giving a strong push to the building of a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership.

A real gentleman

As a graduate of the elite Tsinghua University and a former engineer, Hu always behaves like a real gentleman in the traditional Chinese sense - modest and low profile, kind and easy to approach. However, at critical moments or on matters of principle, Hu is never "gentle" or "soft" in decision-making and taking action.

Hu strongly detests corruption and has repeatedly said: "The CPC never tolerates corruption or any other negative phenomena, just as water and fire can never mix."

In his first five-year term, quite a few high-ranking Party and government officials were subjected to anti-corruption investigations, with those who were found guilty severely punished.

In recent years, the Taiwan authorities have continuously taken provocative actions in the pursuit of "Taiwan independence", posing a severe threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.

Faced with this grave situation, Hu Jintao has put forth a series of new policies to help pull cross-Straits relations back onto the track of peace and stability. Taiwan media described his policies as "tougher on tough issues, and softer on soft issues". In March 2005, Hu put forward a four-point guideline for cross-Straits relations - the mainland will never sway in adhering to the one-China principle, never give up efforts to seek peaceful reunification, never change the principle of placing hope on the Taiwan people, and never compromise in opposing the "Taiwan independence" secessionist activities.

On the other hand, Hu invited Taiwan political leaders, including then Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Lien Chan and People First Party Chairman James Soong, to visit the mainland, and held historic meetings with them.

During the meetings, he clearly stated that peace and development should become the main theme for cross-Straits relations, as well as the common goal for people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits.

Earlier this month, Hu once again sent an encouraging message to the Taiwan people, saying that: "We shall join hands with as many Taiwan compatriots as possible to promote China's peaceful reunification."