Jiang speaks out against leftists rocking the boat

[louisgodena@xxxxxxx (Louis R Godena)]

>From South China Morning Post (HK):

President Jiang Zemin has for the first time spoken out against the return
of a Maoist influence in Chines politics.

At a meeting with 12 of the nation's top propaganda and news officials,  Mr
Jiang said the recent appearance of ultra-conservative articles and tracts
had the effect of "confusing people's thoughts".     Mr Jiang,  who is also
party chief,  reiterated the policy of reform would not change.

"The direction of our ship [of state] has been fixed, and it will not be
altered,"  sources quoted him as saying.

They said Mr Jiang was referring to two petitions circulated by Maoist
ideologues.    Believed to be associated with powerful leftist party elders,
both tracts claimed patriarch Deng Xiaping's market reforms had jeopardized
the basis of socialism and communist rule.

In early June,  Mr Jiang expressed approval for an anti-leftist commentary
that moderate ideologue Xing Bensi wrote for the People's Daily.    Mr Xing,
the chief editor of the party journal Seeking Truth (Qiushi),  accused the
leftists of undermining reform by labelling experiments such as
share-holding companies "anti-Marxist" and anti-socialist.    Mr Xing said
Deng Xiaping's view was the only yardstick for measuring what was really
Marxist.

A day after the article appeared,  Mr Jiang called Mr Xing to express his
appreciation.    The party chief also asked other national media to read Mr
Xing's commentary.

But the leftists are unconvinced about Mr Jiang's sincerity in stamping out
Maoist thought.    The leaders of the capital's quasi-Maoist journals,
including Zhenli de Zhuiqiu (Mainstream) and Contemporary Thoughts held a
meeting to denounce Mr Xing.   Joining the crusade were several of Mr Xing's
colleagues at Seeking Truth.

A Beijing editor said few intellectuals believed Mr Jiang would go the
distance in punishing the Maoists because he himself had instituted leftist
policies.


   June 29, 1996



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