President Jiang Zemin has formed a top-level personnel committee to look at the issue of 'cross-millennium' succession.
A party source in Beijing said yesterday the committee consisted of only three people: Mr Jiang, Vice-President Hu Jintao and alternate member of the Politburo Zeng Zinghong.
Its goal is to identify leaders, particularly 'fourth-generation' or younger cadres, for a wide array of positions.
They range from heads of regional administrations to members of the supreme Politburo Standing Committee.
While a wholesale changing of the guard will not take place until the 16th Party Congress in 2002, moves on the personnel front have already taken place at both the central and regional levels.
The party source said after finishing his upcoming trip to Europe and Africa, Mr Jiang would focus on grooming the next generation of leaders.
'Next year, Jiang will devote much of his time to issues of personnel and party construction,' the party source said.