Abstract
When Jiang Zemin was elevated to be general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee, the Party's topmost official position, in the wake of the suppression of the Tiananmen protests in June 1989, few thought he would wield much power. At that time, the Party general secretary was not the real leader but was more of a clerk who had to please several elderly bosses; nor did he have secure tenure, as Jiang's two predecessors, Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, found out to their sorrow. To the surprise of most "China watchers", however, Jiang has not only survived politically, but has also consolidated his authority. Ever since the deaths of Chen Yun in 1995 and Deng Xiaoping in 1997, Jiang has emerged as China's unrivaled leader and has wielded impressive power. Under Jiang's stewardship, China's leadership structure, factional alignments and policymaking processes have undergone remarkable changes that are in stark contrast with elite politics under Deng Xiaoping.
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