Hu confirmed as heir apparent

Hu (L) with Premier Zhu Rongji

(CNN) -- Chinese Vice-President Hu Jintao's status as the country's next supreme leader has been confirmed at a seminar in which he won lavish praise from a powerful rival.

Hu spoke on the international situation and the challenges of accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) at a class for senior cadres at the Central Communist Party School.

The official media on Friday quoted Hu as telling participants China must "recognize clearly the opportunities [related to WTO], grasp those opportunities and use them well."

Head of the party's Organization Department Zeng Qinghong, who chaired the seminar, said Hu had made a "comprehensive and profound" analysis of the world situation.

Zeng, a protégé of President Jiang Zemin and considered to be Hu's top rival, called upon the participants to study and work harder in order to meet the "clear-cut demands of comrade Hu Jintao."

Party insiders in Beijing said it was rare for a senior cadre to openly heap praise on another cadre of roughly the same rank.

"Given that the rivalry between Hu and Zeng is well known among party ranks, Zeng's unusual praise for Hu is interpreted as a sign that the former has lost the power struggle and that he is willing to profess loyalty to Hu," said a party source.

U.S. visit

The source said since Hu's entire career has been concerned with party affairs, his speech on WTO and world diplomacy also meant his portfolio might have been expanded to include economic and foreign trade matters.

On Thursday, Chinese who tuned in on the joint press conference by President Jiang and President George W. Bush were surprised to hear Jiang announce at the outset of the event that Hu would soon be visiting the U.S.

An unscheduled meeting between Bush and Hu was also arranged Friday morning just prior to the U.S. president's speech at Tsinghua University.

While Hu has been a member of the supreme Politburo Standing Committee since 1992, he has never held a diplomatic portfolio.

His forthcoming trip to the U.S., coupled with his first trip to

Europe last October, is seen as a sign that the future leader is wielding a lot more diplomatic clout.

Hu, 59, is due to take over the position of party General Secretary this autumn and the position of state president in March 2003.