TNAG-1622-FCO40-2236-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 230

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3.

Against those Party and State organs, I have listed the names of their members, in five columns. The outer columns represent the

left and right wings of Chinese politics: the "leftists",

representing the strong ideological Marxist and/or Maoist Camp; and

the "Rightists", representing the progressive, liberal camp. The

centre column which includes Deng Xiaoping and which indeed occupies the critical, balancing position within the leadership, can be

described as the pragmatic force in Chinese politics. The inside left and inside right columns simply represent half-way houses

between the centre and the respective wings. The names in brackets

represent those who have been sacked in the January "reshuffle".

4. The use of columns cannot avoid over-simplification, and may

soon be made out-of-date. For example, both Zhao Ziyang and Hu Qili

have traditionally been more progressive than Deng Xiaoping and are therefore listed in columns further to the right, but there are

signs that they may both be compromising their positions a little

and moving closer to Deng's centre column.

5. The 11 Chinese leaders who are members of the Politburo Standing Committee or the Politburo Secretariat are the most important men in

China. Those on the left of the chart tend to be the 80-year old

veterans of the Long March. Those on the right are in their late

50's, 60's or early 70's.

1

R Recha

R Fletcher-Cooke

Far Eastern Department.

I also attach (for Mr Gillmore) a copy of a more detailed but equally useful paper, kindly prepared by Research Department, setting out a short-list of likely candidates for Premier and General Secretary (if Zhao is not to be permanent).

Ј

J. To have hold

Thorold Masefield

FC4AA0

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