VISIT TO CHINA BY RT HON SIR EDWARD HEATH
DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA
CHINA POLITICAL
1. In the three years since Tiananmen there has been a
continuing power struggle, of greater or lesser intensity,
centring on how far and how fast economic reform can proceed
without threatening the leading role of the Communist Party in
Chinese political life. The collapse of the Soviet Union and of
socialist regimes in Eastern Europe has brought reformers,
conservatives and pragmatists alike, to accept the necessity of
meeting the economic expectations and demands of the population
in order to maintain political stability and avoid social unrest.
Recent debate has centred on the speed and extent of reform, the
emphasis that should be placed on ideology and how the new China
should present itself both domestically and internationally.
2.
The 14th Party Congress, expected in October, may well see
changes in the Politburo and the Standing Committee. Premier Li
Peng's position is considered under threat. Following the
Congress it should be possible to determine the balance of power
within the Party. At present, it appears that the "paramount
leader" Deng Xiaoping and the reformers are in the ascendant.
3. When Deng made his trip to South China and the Special
Economic Zones (SEZs) of Shenzhen and Zhuhai in February of this
year, he called for a speeding up and deepening of the reform
process. At the time, Deng's visit the first occasion he had
been seen in public for some months was interpreted as a sign
of weakness, an indication that there was no other senior figure
prepared to act for him. However, Deng's message has been spread
and acted upon throughout China and even confirmed hardliners
such as Chen Yun, Chairman of the Central Advisory Commission,
have spoken out in support of economic reform.
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