Zhang Dejiang was the focus of a panel discussion at the Chongqing Room of the Great Hall of the People on Thursday afternoon.

Expectedly so. After all, this was his first meeting with international reporters in Beijing following his appointment on March 14 as Party chief of Chongqing, replacing Bo Xilai.

Zhang Dejiang (center), Party chief of Chongqing, and Huang Qifan (right), the city's mayor, share a light moment during a panel discussion at the 18th Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday. Zou Hong / China Daily

Bo was accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profit for others and receiving huge bribes. Investigations also indicate he bore responsibility in a homicide case involving his wife Bogu Kailai, who was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for the murder of British national Neil Heywood.

Answering a barrage of questions from reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing 18th Party Congress, Zhang declined to give a timetable for possible judicial proceeding against the disgraced former Chongqing Party chief.

"The policy of reform and opening-up for Chongqing will not change," Zhang, also a vice-premier, said in a terse reply to a packed room of reporters.

As to the so-called Chongqing model of development, he said: "I think that there is no such thing as a Chongqing model."

He added: "To date, I have yet to hear of evidence to prove Heywood was a spy," in reply to a question from Reuters.

Zhang said his mind was focused on attending the Party congress, and studying and deliberating on President Hu Jintao's political report.

"I'm also thinking about how to implement the spirit of the 18th National Congress," he said.