China Seminar | 11 September 1997

China's Fifteenth Party Congress: A Major Turning Point in Post-Deng China

Oliver Chou

If Jiang Zemin looked preoccupied on television screens during the Hong Kong changeover ceremonies, he had good reason to appear so, for his mind was on the 15th Party Congress about to take place this fall. Just about now, Chinese leaders are gathering at Beidaihe to settle the structure of power and leadership personalities. It is the sort of power realignment that must take place in the post-Deng era and will hold critical significance for Chinese national and foreign policies. The world in and outside of China await its outcome.

Raised in Macau and Hong Kong, Oliver Chou obtained his M.A. in history from the University of Hawaii in 1986. Since then he has been a keen member of the China-watch community in Hong Kong, where he was both a senior analyst at the U.S. Consulate and a freelance researcher, specializing in political and military affairs. He is a frequent contributor to various media in Hong Kong on current issues relating to China. His expertise extends to aspects of Chinese culture, with a special claim on the musical arts. Currently he is engaged in two research projects in Honolulu and will resume his freelance research activities in Hong Kong later this year.