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Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper Hong Kong Economic Journal (Hsin Pao) on 30 August

[Unattributed Report: "17th CCP National Congress To Appoint Five New Standing Committee Members of Political Bureau"]

According to news from the Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy yesterday, the list of members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau to be announced at the 17th CCP National Congress has been confirmed. They are: Hu Jintao, Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Zeng Qinghong, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Wang Zhaoguo, Yu Zhengsheng, and Zhou Yongkang.

Zhang Dejiang To Take Over Huang Ju

Quoting the secretaries of two former state leaders, the Information Centre confirmed that Zeng Qinghong will take over Jia Qinglin as chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [CPPCC], while Li Keqiang will take over Zeng Qinghong as vice-president of the state as well as his work in the CCP party organization. Zhang Dejiang will take over the posts left by the late Huang Ju, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and vice-premier of the State Council. Wang Zhaoguo will take over Wu Guanzheng as secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Zhou Yongkang will take over Luo Gan's responsibility for political and legal affairs. Yu Zhengsheng will take over the propaganda work handled by Li Changchun, who is now sick.

On reports that Li Changchun is suffering from stomach cancer, the Information Centre quoted the secretary of the doctor who operated on Huang Ju as saying that he had heard about Li Changchun's health problems, but added that since Li Changchun's operation the year before was done by some other experts and he did not know the details, he was unable to confirm whether or not Li Changchun had stomach cancer.

Analysts believe that this namelist of members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau shows that the CCP has recently completed its distribution of power at the highest level and that the issue of whether Zeng Qinghong should go or stay has been resolved. Zeng will no longer be responsible for personnel arrangements and will be transferred to chair the CPPCC National Committee. However, he will be able to retain his seat on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, thus striking a balance in the distribution of power.

The fact that the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau will still retain the post of secretary for political and legal affairs in spite of frequent mishaps in the political and legal affairs of the CCP in recent years shows that, in order to maintain stability, the CCP will not easily change the structure of its political and legal affairs system.

Jia Qinglin's Department Reflects Popular Opinion

Yu Zhengsheng, 62, currently secretary of the Hupei provincial party committee, is able to enter the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau because he has the experience of serving as the first in command at the local level and is quite clean and honest. He also has the advantage of a good family background.

Wu Bangguo, 66, will be able to stay while 67-year-old Jia Qinglin will have to leave the Political Bureau. Wu Bangguo's stay and Jia Qinglin's department reflect popular opinion to a certain extent. Jia Qinglin was involved with the "Lai Changxing Incident," the culprit of the Yuan Hua Group mega smuggling case, and has been denounced by public opinion abroad all these years. Wu Bangguo, on the other hand, is seldom involved with scandals.

The rise of Zhang Dejiang, 61, to the posts of member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and vice-premier of the State Council shows his advantageous position as a relatively young person who has the experience of being the first in command in the two big economic provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang. The entry of 52-year-old Li Keqiang to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau shows that he has been named Hu Jintao's sole successor.

With the exception of Li Keqiang, the other eight members of the Standing committee of the Political Bureau are all members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 16th CCP Central Committee.

Source: Hong Kong Economic Journal, Hong Kong, in Chinese 30 Aug 07