Party organ's lurch left may say little of Xi's plans
Editorial in a traditionally liberal paper vowing front against Western ideas raises questions whether it has come under new political pressure
A tale of "one party, two publications" is how some observers are describing the ongoing ideological wrangle between two leading Communist Party publications -the , the party organ, and the a key publication of the Central Party School.
Theoretically speaking, both high-profile publications answer directly the party's decision-making Central Committee. And their daily operations are overseen by the party's secretariat, the party's nerve centre, headed by the Politburo Standing Committee member Liu Yunshan.
The has long been known for its conservatism, while the has made its name as a liberal publication in recent years. Scholars at the Central Party School also seem to be more open-minded on politically sensitive topics.
So, when an uncharacteristic extremely leftist and high-profile article appeared this week in the fears were raised that the last liberal publication had fallen into conservative hands.
If true, it raises questions about the overall rise of leftism within the party.
The paper's lead article last Wednesday was an interview with Li Jingtian , executive vice-president of the Central Party School, who vowed to make his campus an ideological front in the fight against Western ideas.
