Beijing
As expected, Hu Jintao took over from Jiang Zemin as leader of China’s Politburo this week at the Communist Party Congress in Beijing. Hu, 59, is a protégé of Deng Xiaoping and is mainly known for declaring martial law in Tibet. It’s still unclear how quickly he will be able to wield real power. China watchers, ever attuned to the minutiae of party propaganda, made much of the photo placements in the People’s Daily article announcing the changeover. When Deng retired from the Politburo in 1987, his photo was placed below his successor’s. But Jiang’s photo is above Hu’s, prompting speculation that Jiang will continue to play a big role in Chinese politics.
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