The Shanghai Municipal CPC Committee has issued a notice requesting that party officials address each other as "comrade" rather than by their official titles.

Li Jinsheng, secretary of the Jinshan District Party Committee, is an enthusiastic advocator of the change. He told the district People's Congress when he was elected chairman of the district people congress' standing committee, "Please call me Comrade Jin, or, as is customary, Old Jin."

His earnest words sparked wide applause among the deputies. Xia Lanzhen, who has been a member of the CPC for 45 years, said she liked the address because it gave her a sense of equality.

Nevertheless, not all of the party members are at ease or comfortable with the new style. Qian Weizhong, in the Shanghai civil affairs office, said he finds it a little difficult to change since he has been addressing others with their titles for decades.

Despite the initial awkwardness, Qian said he was happy since the word "comrade" has helped to improve the relationship between him and his superiors.

Prof. Zhang Bowen, a noted linguist, acknowledged that the habit of addressing officials by their titles indicates an expression of awe for power.

According to a latest comprehensive Chinese language Dictionary, “comrade" is defined as a person who shares one's interests or aspirations, or a fellow member of a group, especially a fellow member of the Communist Party.

The use of "comrade" had never been heard of in China until Dr. Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), a forerunner of the Chinese Democratic Revolution, founded a revolutionary organization, "the Xing Zhong Hui League" in the early 1900s. The use of the term was adopted by the CPC at its founding in 1921.

The use of "comrade", however, had been no longer popular or even faded in recent decades since China began its drive to promote the market economy. In recent years, the Chinese have been more comfortable calling each other "Sir", "Ms" and "Miss".

There is the same situation in government bodies where Party members call their superiors "boss" and "head".

Prof. Lin Shangli, a political science expert at prestigious Fudan University, said the use of government titles could lead to increased bureaucratic style of work and make officials feel with an air of importance that might cut themselves off from the masses of ordinary people.

Han Zheng, the newly elected mayor of Shanghai, said, "comrade” does not necessarily mean old-fashioned, while the title of "boss” does not infer openness.

The use of "comrade" will help remind Party officials across the country of their roles as civil servants, said an official in Shanghai who preferred to remain anonymous.

Shanghai resident Hu Fengwu, 54, told Xinhua that he appreciated and welcomed the change. "The term "comrade" has helped to reduce the arrogance that officials used to show," he said.

Prof. Hu Wei at Jiaotong University, another prestigious institution of higher learning, agreed with Hu's remarks, saying that the change appears trivial, but reflects the efforts of the CPC to improve its work style among the people in China after the 16th CPC National Congress held in November last year.

(Xinhua News Agency April 4, 2003)