Chou misses party banquet

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33963, 2 October 1975, Page 15

Chou misses party banquet

(N.Z. P.A.-Reuter—-Copyright)

PEKING, October 1. For the first time for 26 years, the ailing Chinese Prime Minister (Chou En-lai) failed to turn up for the annual banquet marking the birth of Communist China last night.

His absence added to deepening concern about the health of Chou, who is 77 and has been suffering from an unnamed illness for about 18 months. Chairman Mao Tse-tung also missed the banquet, as did Mr Wang Hung-wen, the third-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party. The only speech was delivered by the senior VicePrime Minister (Mr Teng), and contained another grim warning that China should prepare in every, way against the growing danger of a new world war. Agence France-Presse reports that the health of Chou seems to be a subject of concern in Peking. Some Chinese assigned to foreigners residing in the capital asked those returning from the reception whether the “Shong Li” (Prime Minister) had been present. The

foreigners explained that Chou was “undergoing medical treatment”—news which met with evident disappoint-N.Z.P.A.-Reuter said that more than 4000 people in the Great Hall craned their necks to see whether Chou would lead in the line-up of Chinese elders. Some of the guests even stood on chairs. Chou, the master administrator who has guided China through the worst storms of the last 26 years, has failed to receive foreign visitors since early this month. The absence of Mr Wang is a mystery. Once considered as a successor to Chairman Mao, the former Shanghai factory worker has not been seen in public for months, and was last reported back in Shanghai. Officials gave no reason for his failure to turn up for what is traditionally a full-turn-out of Chinese leaders. I