BEIJING has asked top cadres in each province and in major cities to profess allegiance to the 'leadership collective' with President Jiang Zemin as its core.
And Mr Jiang, who is also Chairman of the Central Military Commission, has warned that army officers stationed in the rich provinces might be drawn into an 'anti-Beijing coalition' with local officials.
Chinese sources in Beijing said yesterday that beginning last month, Communist Party committees in each province and the main cities had held meetings to discuss the political requirements of the 'new era', a euphemism for the post-Deng Xiaoping order.
Under instructions from the Politburo Standing Committee and the General Office of the Central Committee, the party secretary chairing such sessions asked senior cadres present to biaotai ('air their views unreservedly') on the need to profess 'absolute allegiance to the leadership collective with Comrade Zemin as its core'.
Each cadre was also asked to give his opinion on the need for regional administrations to sacrifice local economic advantages in the interest of the 'overall national situation'.
After rounds of ritualistic biaotai, the party bosses read out Central Committee documents on the overriding importance of maintaining utmost unity with the Centre, particularly in the face of unexpected incidents in the new era.
