No change at top in Peking—Teng

Press, 1 December 1978, Page 7

No change at top in Peking—Teng

NZPA-Reuter Peking | China’s Senior Vice-Pre-[rnier (Mr Teng Hsiao-ping) [yesterday denied there i would be a top-level change [in the country’s leadership [despite criticism of some [high officials in Peking’s [ present poster campaign, iJapanese sources have reported in Peking. ■ In a meeting with Mr 'Yoshikatsu Takeiri, chair- [ man of Japan’s Opposition iKomei Party, Mr Teng also [praised the appointment of | Mr Hua Kiiq-feng as premier i two years and a half ago, land emphasised that China I now needed unity and stability. ; The sources said the Vicei Premier again confirmed 'that a high-level meeting [was nearing its end in the 'Chinese capital after discussing the country’s modernisation plans. Mr Teng 'did not disclose the level of [the meeting, although it is [believed to be a gathering of [the Communist Party PolitIburo or Central Committee. I Earlier this week, Mr Teng moved to calm a growing public political debate in i which some of the country’s ; leaders have been criticised ’in wall posters along Peking’s main Chang An Boulevard. ; He said it was good for people to express their : views, but added that some 'statements had not been [conducive to stability and ■ the modernisation process. i Criticism has been particularly directed at the 'Communist Party ViceI Chairman (Mr Wang Tungihsing) the bodyguard of the Mate party Chairman, Mao 'Tse-tung, and there has been speculation among diplomats that he might lose his position. Mr Teng’s statements tc the Japanese, however, appeared to indicate Mr Wanj

would retain his post — at J ■ I least for the time being. ;i The Japanese sources said, '{Mr Teng had replied to al ’ I question on whether there, ■j would be a top-level re-; ( shuffle with a blunt “No.” U On Mr Hua’s appointment '' ‘!as Premier after the death of ’ I Chou En-lai, he had said this I had been “a very good deci-| r! sion.” the sources reported. 'iMr Teng said he felt he him-! ’[self had the capacity to be 5 ! premier, but he did not want i |the job. 1I “I am too old (at 74) and I jT wish to live much longer,”. Ihe was quoted as saying. r | On Sino-American relaritions, the Vice-Premier was; e I quoted as saying he would : ) I like to visit the United, 1 States, but only after normailisation of relations. The, ' sources said he had pointed e 'out there was still a Taiwa-; ■jnese embassy in Washing-; " ton. . I e Returning to domestic' o issues. Mr Teng acknow-1 n ledged that there had been; s criticism of some top offi-, ■- cials, including the former, Peking Mayor, “Comrade o Wu Teh.” i- “We should evaluate g i people from a long view-

joint,” the Vice-Premier ! vas quoted as saying, ad-; ling that if people had made; nistakes it was only natural. hat they should be criti-; :ised. What was needed now j was stability and unity, he ; continued, and all political i measures should be taken; ,vith these ends in mind. Mr Teng had emphasisedi :hese themes in interviews! earlier this week, and his re-! narks were quoted in the; Chinese press in the first! reference to the Peking! ooster campaign. The Cultural Revolution of; the late 1960 s — and even I its originator, Mao Tse-tung ; — have come under fire during the campaign. Mr Teng himself was one! of the most prominent vic-! tims of the Cultural Revolu-| tion, but he was quoted as telling the Japanese politi-i iian that he felt that in gen-; eral Mao’s motives had been ; »ood. Some of the steam, in; fact, appears to have gone j out of the poster campaign, I although criticism was again; levelled at Vice-Chairman < Wang; Mr Wu Teh; a Polit- i buro member, Mr Mi Chih- ’ fu; and Vice-Premier Chen ; Shi-lien, who is also com-! mander of the strategic! Peking military region. Another mass rally was; held in Tien An Men Square, where speakers again called for democracy. Bui the turnout was smaller than at similar gatherings in the last ! few days. An estimated 2000 people: swarmed over the Martyrs’> Monument. China’s memorial to its war dead and the; focal point of the 1976 riots,; in sight of the Great Hall of the People, where the meeting mentioned by Mr Teng apparently is being held. The hall was ablaze with; lights, and many cars and buses were parked in the; courtyard.