China: Jiang’s Last Days

Delegates at the 16th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party have confirmed today that General Secretary Jiang Zemin is to step down by resigning from the Central Committee during the current week, along with Li Peng, the President of the Parliament and the Prime Minister, Zhu Rongji, leaving the leadership of the CC – and the country – open to a younger generation.

Jiang Zemin will remain as President of the People’s Republic of China until the end of his second mandate in March but he will probably continue his functions as Head of the Central Military Committee, like his predecessor, Deng Xiau Ping.

The constitution of the new Central Committee will be announced on Friday and from there, it will be clearer who will follow Jiang as leader.

Timofei BYELO PRAVDA.Ru