A FIERCE internal debate in China between economic reformers and new leftists opposed to the rush to embrace capitalism finally burst into the public eye yesterday.
The People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party that has ruled China since 1949, ran a commentary that left no room for questions over the direction of 28-year-old market reforms. “Unwaveringly keep to the path of reform,” read the headline.
A decision to publish such a prominent article in the newspaper, which is charged with reflecting party policy, could only have been made with the blessing of the partyÂ’s leader, President Hu Jintao. While the piece makes reference to the most pressing concerns of the new leftists, such as the widening gap between rich and poor, it is aimed at ending opposition to the pace of reform. |