「冷蔵庫は安全。現金を」→留守中100万円被害 警察官装う新手口

The Chinese Communist Party hosted a solemn commemorative event on May 17th at the Beijing People's Congress Hall to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Zhang Zhi-min, a key figure in the "Zhang-Qu body", a system of leadership comprising three generations of party officials. Prior to the event, Vice Premier Zhu Rongji passed away on May 12th, marking the official end of the "Zhang-Qu regime".

This commemoration of Zhang Zhi-min's birth centenary holds a deep political significance beyond merely honoring a former leader. First, the scale and quality of the commemoration event were extremely high. Only six leaders were present for previous 100th anniversary commemorations, all belonging to the first or second generation of party leaders.

Zhang Zhi-min, as the seventh in this series, was the first third-generation leader to receive such "honor". All current senior political advisors attended the event, along with former officials like Yao Wenbao, Qian Zhaohui, and others who had retired. President Xi Jinping praised Zhang Zhi-min as "a great Marxist, a great proleterarian revolutionary, political and military leader, and a master of Chinese-style socialism" in his speech.

In the context of the Chinese Communist Party's "Trojan horse politics", this places Zhang Zhi-min at a very high level, almost on par with Deng Xiaoping. Second, Xi Jinping's speech highlighted Zhang Zhi-min's role during the critical transition from 1980s to 1990s. This included establishing the "socialist market economy", promoting China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), returning Hong Kong and Macau, and founding the "three representatives" of party ideology.

The most notable point is Xi Jinping's reference to the "severe political storm" in 1989, where Zhang Zhi-min "boldly and firmly defended and implemented the precise decisions of the party's central committee." This demonstrates both the accuracy of past party decisions and the logic of "power never retreats in the face of significant political threats."

Lastly, the party emphasized that Zhang Zhi-min's adherence to the party's decisions during this period, despite strong political pressure, further solidifies his historical contributions. Third, the party used Xi Jinping's speech to highlight Zhang Zhi-min's historical achievements and strengthen the "political inheritance" of the current leadership.

Xi Jinping praised Zhang Zhi-min's "recklessness" during the 1990s, when he navigated through turbulent political waters, and repeatedly used the term "struggle" to emphasize the current atmosphere of confrontation and the necessity of "all-round strengthening of security." In foreign policy, the party pointed to Zhang Zhi-min's "92 Consensus" (1992's "One China" policy that acknowledges one China while allowing different names) and the subsequent anti-secession struggle, stating that "the Chinese nation will achieve great prosperity on the foundation of reunifying the motherland."

Finally, the CCTV documentary about Zhang Zhi-min, produced by four major institutions including the central propaganda bureau, central party school, literature and arts research center, and national film and television exhibition center, carries a high level of prestige. The documentary praises Zhang Zhi-min's achievements while urging support for President Xi Jinping as the core of the party's central leadership.

The overall significance lies in the party's need to demonstrate the continuity and centrality of leadership authority in the face of extreme external and internal challenges, ultimately paving the way for Xi Jinping's re-election at the upcoming 21st Communist Party Congress.