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Former Chinese Leader Steps Back, Fueling Speculation Former Chinese Leader Steps Back, Fueling Speculation
(about 4 hours later)
HONG KONG — A decade after he stepped down as China’s top leader, the powerful Communist Party elder Jiang Zemin has used the death of a former rival to signal that he may allow his political shadow to recede and give the nation’s newest leader more room to consolidate his authority.HONG KONG — A decade after he stepped down as China’s top leader, the powerful Communist Party elder Jiang Zemin has used the death of a former rival to signal that he may allow his political shadow to recede and give the nation’s newest leader more room to consolidate his authority.
The sign came in official accounts of mourning for Yang Baibing, a general who was pushed from office after being implicated in efforts to challenge Mr. Jiang. A report on General Yang’s funeral by Xinhua, the state news agency, on Monday ranked Mr. Jiang last among a dozen party luminaries who had offered words of comfort and condolences.The sign came in official accounts of mourning for Yang Baibing, a general who was pushed from office after being implicated in efforts to challenge Mr. Jiang. A report on General Yang’s funeral by Xinhua, the state news agency, on Monday ranked Mr. Jiang last among a dozen party luminaries who had offered words of comfort and condolences.
As recently as late November, Mr. Jiang, 86, was placed third in rank in a similar mourning announcement, behind Hu Jintao, who had stepped down earlier that month as head of the Communist Party and will retire as state president in March, and Xi Jinping, Mr. Hu’s successor in those posts.As recently as late November, Mr. Jiang, 86, was placed third in rank in a similar mourning announcement, behind Hu Jintao, who had stepped down earlier that month as head of the Communist Party and will retire as state president in March, and Xi Jinping, Mr. Hu’s successor in those posts.
For some political analysts seeking to fathom the undercurrents of power in China’s secretive elite, Mr. Jiang’s reduced protocol ranking suggested something more — that he may finally curb any impulses to exert influence behind the red walls of Zhongnanhai, the party leadership’s compound in central Beijing. For some political analysts seeking to fathom the undercurrents of power in China’s secretive elite, Mr. Jiang’s reduced protocol ranking suggested something more: that he may finally curb any impulses to exert influence behind the red walls of Zhongnanhai, the party leadership’s compound in central Beijing.
“In China, the saying goes that you must live up to your title to give your words sway, so if Jiang Zemin meddles in politics again after making this step, his reputation will be badly damaged,” said Yao Jianfu, a retired party official and researcher in Beijing.“In China, the saying goes that you must live up to your title to give your words sway, so if Jiang Zemin meddles in politics again after making this step, his reputation will be badly damaged,” said Yao Jianfu, a retired party official and researcher in Beijing.
“It’s a change in protocol, but now he’ll be expected to live up to it and stop being such a political busybody,” said Mr. Yao. “It’s a change in protocol, but now he’ll be expected to live up to it and stop being such a political busybody,” Mr. Yao said.
That may not come easily to Mr. Jiang, whose later career was marked by the flamboyant gestures of a politician who had grown to enjoy attention. He retired as party general secretary in November 2002, and stepped down from his final major post, chairman of the Central Military Commission, nearly two year later. Since then he has used public appearances, books, poems, essays and calligraphy inscriptions as reminders that he remained healthy and engaged enough to exert influence, said analysts. That may not come easily to Mr. Jiang, whose later career was marked by the flamboyant gestures of a politician who had grown to enjoy attention. He retired as party general secretary in November 2002, and stepped down from his final major post, chairman of the Central Military Commission, nearly two years later. Since then, he has used public appearances, books, poems, essays and calligraphy inscriptions as reminders that he remained healthy and engaged enough to exert influence.
Mr. Jiang wielded heavy backstage influence in choosing the new leadership team under Mr. Xi that was appointed at the Communist Party’s 18th Congress in November. The seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, which sits at the apex of party power, is now dominated by protégés and allies of Mr. Jiang, and short on officials close to Mr. Hu, the departing leader who succeeded Mr. Jiang. Mr. Jiang wielded heavy backstage influence in choosing the new leadership team under Mr. Xi that was appointed at the Communist Party’s 18th congress in November. The seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, which sits at the apex of party power, is now dominated by protégés and allies of Mr. Jiang, and short on officials close to Mr. Hu, the departing leader who succeeded Mr. Jiang.
Mr. Jiang’s concession regarding protocol appeared calculated to signal that he is ready to step away from the political fray, but in a way that does not exclude renewed efforts to exert influence, said Joseph Fewsmith, a specialist in Chinese politics at Boston University. And some argue that Mr. Jiang, while signaling that he is ready to step away from the political fray, is doing so in a way that does not exclude renewed efforts to exert influence. “I think that everyone was amazed that at 86 he still had the ability to achieve the influence that he wielded at the 18th Party Congress,” said Joseph Fewsmith, a specialist in Chinese politics at Boston University. “Having helped put in place the leadership that he wanted, it seems likely that he will now seek a lower profile.”
“I think that everyone was amazed that at 86 he still had the ability to achieve the influence that he wielded at the 18th Party Congress,” said Mr. Fewsmith. “Having helped put in place the leadership that he wanted, it seems likely that he will now seek a lower profile.” State news media suggested that Mr. Jiang remains a figure who expects deference.
Yet even in announcing Mr. Jiang’s lowered ranking, state news media suggested that he remains a figure who expects deference. “After the 18th Party Congress, Comrade Jiang Zemin submitted a request to the party’s central leadership that in the future he be ranked alongside the other old comrades in the protocol ranking,” Xinhua reported on Wednesday. “This embodies the noble integrity and generous spirit of a Communist.”
“After the 18th Party Congress, Comrade Jiang Zemin submitted a request to the Party’s central leadership that in the future he be ranked alongside the other old comrades in the protocol ranking,” Xinhua reported on Wednesday. “This embodies the noble integrity and generous spirit of a Communist.”
Mr. Jiang’s step comes while the new leader, Mr. Xi, has been trying to consolidate his power and win public confidence through repeated vows to eradicate corruption and impose discipline on lax officials. It was a theme that Mr. Xi came back to on Tuesday, when he told central officials that he would take on both “flies” and “tigers” — wayward local officials and corrupt senior leaders — and would demand unflinching obedience to central directives.Mr. Jiang’s step comes while the new leader, Mr. Xi, has been trying to consolidate his power and win public confidence through repeated vows to eradicate corruption and impose discipline on lax officials. It was a theme that Mr. Xi came back to on Tuesday, when he told central officials that he would take on both “flies” and “tigers” — wayward local officials and corrupt senior leaders — and would demand unflinching obedience to central directives.
An official with a state media organization said that when Mr. Xi vowed in early December to curb the perks and fanfare lavished on serving leaders, he remained deferential to Mr. Jiang and other retired leaders and stressed that the strictures did not apply to them.An official with a state media organization said that when Mr. Xi vowed in early December to curb the perks and fanfare lavished on serving leaders, he remained deferential to Mr. Jiang and other retired leaders and stressed that the strictures did not apply to them.
“This was a way of showing respect to old comrades,” added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing bans on disclosing internal party discussions.“This was a way of showing respect to old comrades,” added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, citing bans on disclosing internal party discussions.
An editor with another party media organization cited an official circular that conveyed the same message from Mr. Xi. The editor said Mr. Jiang’s protocol concession appeared intended to indicate “he won’t get in the involved in the arrangements for the 19th Party Congress, whether he’s dead or alive.” An editor with another party media organization said Mr. Jiang’s protocol concession appeared intended to indicate “he won’t get involved in the arrangements for the 19th Party Congress, whether he’s dead or alive.” At the 19th congress, due in late 2017, five of the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee are likely to step down but Mr. Xi is expected to remain in power for five more years.
At the 19th congress, due in late 2017, five of the seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee are likely to step down, if party retirement age norms stay unchanged. Mr. Jiang sees Mr. Xi as an ally, while Mr. Hu won the party’s top job a decade ago even though he was not Mr. Jiang’s choice. Mr. Hu retired from the chairmanship of China’s top military body in November, and has shown no appetite to linger in the political limelight.
Mr. Jiang sees Mr. Xi as an ally, while Mr. Hu had won the party’s top job even though he was not Mr. Jiang’s choice. Mr. Hu retired from the chairmanship of China’s top military body in November, and has shown no appetite to linger in the political limelight.
Since the Party Congress, Mr. Jiang has kept himself in the news. In addition to publishing a book about his ideas on economic reform, he has written a preface to an anthology of verses about bamboo, which included one of his own poems, and the preface to a picture book about a deceased protégé, according to state media.
“Jiang could still exert influence, and he has publicly made the point that he volunteered to the protocol change, that he wasn’t forced,” said Chen Ziming, an independent scholar in Beijing who closely follows politics. “But I don’t think he’ll pose a major impediment to Xi. He generally supports him.”

Jonathan Ansfield contributed reporting from Beijing.

Jonathan Ansfield contributed reporting from Beijing.