CONFIDENTIAL
PRINCESS MARGARET'S VISIT TO CHINA: 18-27 MAY 1987
BRIEF B (a)
CHINA INTERNAL
1. Under Deng Xiaoping's leadership, China has become
more open and communicative than at any time since the
foundation of the People's Republic in 1949. "Socialism
with Chinese characteristics" remains totalitarian: but
the social and ideological controls have been
considerably relaxed.
2. Since 1978 Deng Xiaoping has strengthened
administrative and legal institutions, to try to ensure
that policies will be less prone to wild fluctuations as
personalities change. He has also pursued a policy of
replacing older with younger cadres at all levels of the
hierarchy. However, the forced resignation in January of
General Secretary Hu. Yaobang, who had been expected to
succeed Deng as China's strongman, has thrown plans for
the leadership succession into disarray. Premier
Zhao Ziyang is also now acting General Secretary and will
probably be confirmed as General Secretary (a more
important position than Premier) at the Party Congress in
the autumn. There are several candidates to replace him
as Premier, including Vice-Premiers Li Peng (HRH's
official host for the visit) and Tian Jiyun.
FC6AAI
CONFIDENTIAL
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