Hu Sheng People's Political Consultative Conference. He served for the second term and retired from office in 1998. He was also vice chairman of the Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee which was responsible for drafting the Hong Kong Basic Law, the constitution of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region after it was handed over to China 1997. Hu died of an illness on 5 November 2000 in Shanghai at the age of 82. Entrusted by the party's Central Committee, the Vice President Hu Jintao came to Shanghai to bid farewell to Hu Sheng, and to convey to Hu Sheng's family members.
Hu Jintao response to the SARS public health crisis and the massive expansion of health insurance coverage for middle- to low-income citizens earned Hu accolades domestically. Generally speaking, these policies have been well received by the Chinese public. In foreign policy, Hu's critics say that his government was overly aggressive in asserting its new power, overestimated its reach, and raised the ire and apprehension of various neighbours, including Southeast Asian countries, India, and Japan. Such policies are also said to be provocative towards the United States. Domestic critics, including the country's elites, intellectuals, and particularly dissidents, point to various shortcomings of the