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RESTRIC750
OF THE FOUR NEW VICE-CHAIRMEN OF THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE
THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT FIGURE IS PENG ZHEN, FORMERLY A POLITBURO MEMBER AND MAYOR OF PEKING, WHO FELL DURING THE CULTURAL
REVOLUTION.
HE ALREADY OCCUPIES A POSITION OF GREAT AUTHORITY,
WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CREATION OF CHINA'S LEGAL SYSTEM.
THE OTHER THREE APPOINTEES ARE A LONG SERVING VICE-MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEFENCE AND TWO ELDERLY NON-COMMUNISTS. FANG Yi
A POLITBURO MEMBER AND TECHNOCRAT WITH LONG-STANDING RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THE SCIENCES THROUGH HIS CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION, HAS SIMPLY BEEN PROMOTED FROM VICE- PRESIDENT OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES TO FILL THE VACANT TOP
POSITION.
5.
THE CONGRESS ALSO FORMALLY APPROVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
A FINANCE AND ECONOMY COMMISSION UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF CHEN YUN, COMPOSED OF THE MINISTERS MOST CLOSELY CONCERNED WITH RUNNING THE ECONOMY. IT INCLUDES NO FEWER THAN TEN VICE-PREMIER
BUT NOT (NOT) DENG XIAOPING. FROM THE SENIORITY OF ITS MEMBERSHIP (INCLUDING THE HEADS OF THE EXISTING COMMISSIONS WITH ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITIES), IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE THE TOP LEVEL ECONOMIC COORDINATING BODY, WITH, NO DOUBT, THE MAJOR TASK OF RECONCILING THE AMBITIONS OF ECONOMIC DEPARTMENTS AND THEIR CLAIMS ON THE NATIONAL BUDGET, AND REFORMING CHINA'S ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS,
6. THESE APPOINTMENTS FURTHER TIP THE BALANCE IN THE LEADER- SHIP TOWARDS THOSE IN FAVOUR OF ECONOMIC REFORM AND MODERN- ISATION. IT HAD BEEN INDICATED IN ADVANCE THAT NO ONE WOULD BE DEMOTED. THE RULES OF THE GAME *STABILITY AND UNITY'' REQUIRE CHANGES IN THE POWER BALANCE TO BE BROUGHT ABOUT BY ADDITION
RATHER THAN SUBTRACTION,
74 WE SHALL BE REPORTING FURHER BY LETTER ON DETAILED ASPECTS OF THE NPC, AND I SHALL BE REPORTING ON THE CONGRESS AS A WHOLE BY DESPATCH.
8. FCO PASS TO ALL SAVING ADDRESSEES CXCEPT ULAN BATOR. CRADOCK
FCO/WHITEHALL D
FED
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED
2
RESTRICTED
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