Ex-president Jiang Zemin's media blitz flaunts clout in power transition
Ex-president featured in glowing newspaper review, the latest of publicity blitz that analysts see as exerting his clout in leadership transition
Former president Jiang Zemin has made his fourth foray into the public eye in a month, with a People's Daily article hailing him as the "core of the third-generation leadership".
Analysts see the praise as a reminder that the octogenarian may have cast a few decisive votes at the recent Beidaihe leadership summit.
The lengthy article yesterday was ostensibly a review of a newly published book about Jiang's time in charge of the mainland's electronics industry, but the state newspaper hailed his role in leading "the party and nation to sail through a historic wave".
Incumbent and retired leaders have just completed their informal summer summit at Beidaihe, a seaside resort near Beijing, to finalise decisions on the Communist Party's new leadership, to be announced at a congress later this year, and major policies for the coming decade.
The article, penned by Li Ting , a former minister of the electronics industry, portrayed Jiang as an open-minded reformist with a "sharp historic sense and deep strategic thinking".
Jiang retired as party general secretary in late 2002 and as president in March 2003, handing over the reins to Hu Jintao , the "core" of the fourth-generation leadership.
The article said Jiang played a crucial role in shaping China's electronics industry and its information-technology development strategy.