12 SEPTEMBER 2007

12 SEPTEMBER 1997 : OPENING OF THE CCP XVth CONGRESS

This congress was important because it was the first one since the death of Deng Xiaoping. There was two big questions.

1)Is the general secretary Jiang Zemin, protégé of Deng Xiaoping capable to keep his position? Can the old guard with Qiao Shi (number 3 in the Party and president of the National Assembly) put him aside ?

2)What to do with the Prime Minister Li Peng who is number 2 in the Party hierarchy, but cannot be reelected for a third term as PM ? He is the head of an important faction : the sons of founders of the party sent to Soviet Union for learning. Too unpopular, he cannot take the place of Jiang Zemin. The only one suitable position for him is to become president of the NPA, but Qiao Shi don’t want to give up.

The XVth congress ended on September 18. So you will have the result on that day.

The below picture is the hierarchy of the CCP that was in charge between 1992 and 1997. For my 18th September comment, note that Qiao Shi is number 3 and admiral Liu Huaqing number 6.

OTHERS FACTS

1999 : Indonesia agrees to allow UN forces in East Timor

2005 : Early general elections in Japan who result in an overwhelming majority in favour of the Prime Minister Koizumi party who won 296 seats on 480. It got an an absolute majority for the first time since 1986.

BIRTH :

1875 : Matsunosuke Onoe, emperor of Japan

1986 : Yang Mi, Chinese actress
<br><br>Post edited by: Jacques, at: 2007/09/12 19:37