China: The Making of Deng's Successor

The Making of Deng's Successor Jiang Zemin emerges as the front runner, but the race isn't over yet

The Chinese Communist Party took no chances last week when it staged its first press conference since last June's Tiananmen massacre. The 300 accredited Chinese and foreign journalists underwent a tight security check at the entrance to the Great Hall of the People. Inside the meeting room, those selected to ask questions were planted within easy view of the men on the dais. As the six members of the Politburo Standing Committee filed in, wearing Western business suits and fixed smiles, one stood out as the first among equals. "Good morning," Jiang Zemin said in English, waving gamely to his audience.

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