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 counterpart Ma Ying-jeou agreed that the 1992 Consensus is the basis for negotiations between the two sides of the Taiwan strait. On 26 March 2008, Hu Jintao held a telephone talk with then US President George W. Bush, in which he became the first Chinese leader to officially recognize the 1992 Consensus. After several months of negotiations, in December 2008, the two sides agreed on the resumption of the Three Links, i.e., a re-opening of mail, trade, and direct air links between the two sides. Relations have been cordial since between the two sides, and trade increased immensely, culminating in