This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/02/world/asia/party-intrigue-seen-in-chinese-officials-apparent-demotion.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Party Intrigue Seen in China As Official Is Demoted | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SHANGHAI — Ling Jihua, a senior Chinese official and a close ally of President Hu Jintao, was named Saturday to a new post in a move that some Communist Party experts said was a demotion and a surprising development ahead of this year’s leadership transition. | |
| Mr. Ling’s appointment as head of a department that deals with trade unions and the Dalai Lama was announced online in the People’s Daily, the Communist Party newspaper. | Mr. Ling’s appointment as head of a department that deals with trade unions and the Dalai Lama was announced online in the People’s Daily, the Communist Party newspaper. |
| The party’s once-in-a-decade leadership transition has been complicated by the worst political scandal in decades, with the detention of Bo Xilai, who had been a Politburo member, and the recent conviction of his wife in the murder of a British businessman. | The party’s once-in-a-decade leadership transition has been complicated by the worst political scandal in decades, with the detention of Bo Xilai, who had been a Politburo member, and the recent conviction of his wife in the murder of a British businessman. |
| Two officials widely expected to be at the top of the ruling Communist Party during the next five-year term, which begins next year, are Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, now the youngest members of the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee. But the other members are expected to be formally announced in the next few months. | Two officials widely expected to be at the top of the ruling Communist Party during the next five-year term, which begins next year, are Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, now the youngest members of the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee. But the other members are expected to be formally announced in the next few months. |
| Political observers say there has been intense infighting in the Communist Party over who will fill those positions, as well as other major posts, when the current leaders step down. | |
| Although the Communist Party has a monopoly on power, analysts say there are powerful factions, political alliances and interest groups that jockey for power, and even departing leaders are determined to find positions for allies in order to strengthen their legacy or protect their political networks. | |
| In recent years, Mr. Ling, 55, has been considered one of China’s most powerful behind-the-scenes figures because he was a close adviser to Mr. Hu and was chief of the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, a post that includes managing the security and logistics of top leaders. | In recent years, Mr. Ling, 55, has been considered one of China’s most powerful behind-the-scenes figures because he was a close adviser to Mr. Hu and was chief of the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, a post that includes managing the security and logistics of top leaders. |
| Several analysts said Mr. Ling had been under consideration for a position on the nine-member Standing Committee, which some analysts believe could be reduced to seven members. | Several analysts said Mr. Ling had been under consideration for a position on the nine-member Standing Committee, which some analysts believe could be reduced to seven members. |
| Now, they say, Mr. Ling is unlikely to be selected for such a high post. He could still be a candidate for the Politburo, which has 25 members, though even that, they say, is in question. | Now, they say, Mr. Ling is unlikely to be selected for such a high post. He could still be a candidate for the Politburo, which has 25 members, though even that, they say, is in question. |
| As chief of the United Front Department, Mr. Ling would oversee the party’s relations with nonparty organizations, including the trade unions. | As chief of the United Front Department, Mr. Ling would oversee the party’s relations with nonparty organizations, including the trade unions. |
| Cheng Li, an expert on China’s party politics at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that in recent years Mr. Ling had been likened to Zeng Qinghong, the former Standing Committee member and power broker aligned with former President Jiang Zemin. That was considered an indication that Mr. Ling might join the Standing Committee. “This is very significant,” Mr. Li said in a telephone interview Saturday, referring to Mr. Ling’s new post. “We don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, but this looks like Ling has been marginalized to a less important position. With this position, his chance of making it to the Standing Committee is almost completely gone.” | Cheng Li, an expert on China’s party politics at the Brookings Institution in Washington, said that in recent years Mr. Ling had been likened to Zeng Qinghong, the former Standing Committee member and power broker aligned with former President Jiang Zemin. That was considered an indication that Mr. Ling might join the Standing Committee. “This is very significant,” Mr. Li said in a telephone interview Saturday, referring to Mr. Ling’s new post. “We don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, but this looks like Ling has been marginalized to a less important position. With this position, his chance of making it to the Standing Committee is almost completely gone.” |
| But Mr. Li and other analysts said it was too early to know what the appointment meant. With the move, Mr. Hu appears to have lost a powerful ally, but he may have gained another position for an ally that has not yet been announced. | But Mr. Li and other analysts said it was too early to know what the appointment meant. With the move, Mr. Hu appears to have lost a powerful ally, but he may have gained another position for an ally that has not yet been announced. |
| Mr. Ling’s successor at the General Office, Li Zhanshu, is considered an ally of Mr. Xi, who is widely expected to succeed Mr. Hu as president. | Mr. Ling’s successor at the General Office, Li Zhanshu, is considered an ally of Mr. Xi, who is widely expected to succeed Mr. Hu as president. |