Leaders' week-long study of works by Jiang Zemin in Beijing reflects the former president's persistent impact on the political climate, analysts said.
In its commentary yesterday, the People's Daily said all key provincial leaders had started studying the Selected Works of Jiang Zemin in the party school amid a pre-Lunar New Year intensive workload, with Mr Jiang's 'The Theory of the Three Represents' being highlighted as the key topic.
Xu Youyu , a political theorist from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the aim of the study was unclear, but at least showed Mr Jiang's political influence still existed.
'Mr Jiang still exerts some influence although he handed over his post to President Hu Jintao several years ago. Naturally his influence has fluctuated in policy-making over the past few years,' Professor Xu said.
'I would guess we are having this study because his power is rising.'
Mr Jiang's 'Three Represents' stressed that businessmen represent one of the most important productive social forces and could be recruited as party members.