China cadres shuffle for congress

By Willy Lam
CNN Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- Jockeying for position and factional intrigue have intensified within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Authorities have drawn up a preliminary list of members of the new Central Committee that will be endorsed at the coming 16th party congress.

The list of 200-odd candidates for the ruling Central Committee will be submitted for discussion among top cadres taking part in informal leadership meetings at the Beidaihe seaside resort in early August.

Early lists of proposed candidates to join the CCP Secretariat and the Politburo at the 16th congress have also been floating around Beijing.

A veteran party source said that at Beidaihe, top cadres would first come to an agreement on the criteria for Central Committee membership.

Economic reform

"In addition to the criteria of age, professional competence and political trustworthiness, top leaders such as [President] Jiang Zemin and [Premier] Zhu Rongji want new Central Committee members to have an 'international perspective' particularly in economic reform," the source said.

Senior cadres such as current Politburo Standing Committee members have begun going through the list of proposed Central Committee members meticulously.

"The heavyweights want more members of their factions to be included," the source added.

"They will also try to remove the names of cadres from rival cliques on the ground that these candidates have not satisfied the criteria for Central Committee membership."

Cadres from cliques

The preliminary Central Committee list has been draw up by Vice President Hu Jintao, Head of the CCP Organization Department Zeng Qinghong, and Vice Premier Wen Jiabao.

It is said to include a fair distribution of cadres that belong to cliques including the Shanghai Faction, the Communist Youth League faction, the "Faction of Princelings" as well as officials close to Premier Zhu, and parliament chief Li Peng.

Diplomatic analysts familiar with party politics said that at Beidaihe, the leadership would also try to come to a rough consensus about candidates for membership in the Secretariat, the Politburo and the supreme Politburo Standing Committee.

"Horse-trading among different factions is likely to go on until the eve of the 16th congress, scheduled for September or October next year," an Asian diplomat said.

Other items on the agenda of the Beidaihe meetings include relations with the United States and preparation for the country's accession to World Trade Organization.