TNAG-1624-FCO40-2238-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1987 — Page 44

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MDHIAN 3729

PARTY GENERAL-SECRETARY WHO RESIGNED IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, WAS RE-ELECTED TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE. SO WAS HUA GUOFENG.

8. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC, THE PARTY CONGRESS DID NOT REWRITE THE PARTY CONSTITUTION. IN A GESTURE DESIGNED TO DEMONSTRATE THE CONTINUITY OF POLICY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF REVISIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION WERE ADOPTED. THESE FELL INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES:

(A)

THE CHANGES NECESSARY TO ALLOW DENG TO REMAIN CHAIRMAN OF THE

MILITARY COMMISSION,

(B) CHANGES TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS FOR POLITICAL REFORM

PUT FORWARD BY ZHAO ZIYANG, AND

(C) CHANGES TO STRENGTHEN THE FUTURE COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN CHINA.

9.

UNDER THE 1982 CONSTITUTION, THE CHAIRMEN OF THE MILITARY COMMISSION, OF THE ADVISORY COMMISSION, AND OF THE DISCIPLINE INSPECTION COMMISSION ALL HAD TO BE MEMBERS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE POLITBURO. THIS REQUIREMENT HAS NOW BEEN DELETED, WHICH MEANS THAT ANYONE INCLUDING NON-MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, MAY BE CLEARED TO THOSE OFFICES. A NUMBER OF ARTICLES DEALING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OF ENTERPRISES HAVE BEEN AMENDED TO

TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE FACTORY DIRECTOR RESPONSIBILITY SYSTEM. ARTICLES DEALING WITH THE FORMATION OF LEADING PARTY MEMBERS' GROUPS

IN NON-PARTY ORGANISATIONS HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO ALLOW FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DISBANDMENT OF SUCH GROUPS. THE SECTION DEALING

WITH THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE'S SECRETARIAT HAS BEEN SO ALTERED AS SLIGHTLY TO WEAKEN THE FUNCTION OF THE LATTER. IN THE PAST IT HAD BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE 'DAY TO DAY WORK OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE POLITBURO AND ITS STANDING COMMITTEE IT IS NOW MERELY DESCRIBED AS 'THE WORKING BODY OF THE POLITICAL BUREAU OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE AND ITS STANDING COMMITTEE''. INSTEAD OF BEING A SUBSTITUTE POLITBURAO WHEN THAT BODY WAS DOMINATED BY THE MORE ELDERLY LEADERS, THE SECRETARIAT HAS REVERTED TO A MORE TRADITIONAL FUNCTION OF BEING A BODY TO SERVICE THE POLITBURO. A NEW PROVISION IS THAT, WHEN PARTY ORGANISATIONS ARE DECIDING MAJOR ISSUES, THIS MUST BE DONE BY A VOTE. IN THE PAST, THERE WAS NO SUCH PROVISION. THIS INNOVATION STRENGTHENS THE HAND OF THOSE WISHING TO ORGANISE A COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN FUTURE.

10.

1

THUS,

THE NEW CENTRAL COMMITTEE IS MEETING IN PLENARY SESSION TO-DAY (2 NOVEMBER). IT WILL THEN ELECT THE NEW POLITBURO STANDING

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