Beijing: Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao was on November 15 elected as the new general secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).

Hu, 59, was elected to head the world's largest political party when the first plenum of the 16th Party Congress met in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People, party sources said.

Hu's election was almost ensured on November 14 when Chinese President Jiang Zemin, 76, and five of his senior colleagues in the Politburo Standing Committee decided to retire, allowing a new generation of Chinese Communist Party leaders to rule the world's most populous country.

Hu was the only one left untouched by the sweeping changes revealed at the week-long Congress that concluded on November 14.

Trained as an engineer, Hu rose through the Communist Youth League and has served as Communist Party Chief in Tibet.

In 1992, he joined the party's ruling politburo and at about the same time was picked up by late Chinese patriarch Deng Xiaoping to succeed Jiang.

Vice-President since March 1998, Hu is also Jiang's deputy at the powerful Central Military Commission.

PTI