China's dissenting cadres to face crackdown

Jiang has asked party members to uphold his authority

By Willy Wo-lap Lam
CNN's Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- President Jiang Zemin has warned that Communist Party cadres and members who dispute the central line will be subject to disciplinary measures.

In a rare admission of differences and strife within the party, the Central Commission for Disciplinary Inspection (CCDI) asked party rank and file to "resolutely uphold the authority of the party leadership with Jiang Zemin as its core."

The CCDI met in Beijing on Thursday to promote party discipline in view of the recent challenges that the party's leftist or conservative faction had staged against the Jiang line.

For example, the leftists have circulated open letters that claim Jiang has been building a personality cult around himself.

Official newspapers on Friday quoted the CCDI as saying in a statement that cadres who "fabricate and broadcast political rumors and who circulate views that vilify the image of the party and state" would be punished.

The CCDI also threatened disciplinary action against CCP members who "publicly air views that are opposed to the party's basic theories, basic line and basic principles."

Participation in "illegal organizations and illegal activities" was also forbidden.

A Communist Party source in Beijing said it was rare for the leadership to admit that a number of cadres and party members had openly challenged its authority.

However, the source said, Jiang had only had limited success in punishing or gagging the leftists, or conservatives.

For example, leftist cadres such as conservative ideologue Deng Liqun, had continued to criticize Jiang's ideas in internal party meetings.

Meanwhile, party and government departments in the provinces have held ideological classes to study the communiqué of the just-ended plenary session of the party Central Committee.

The committee praised the contributions that Jiang's theories had allegedly made to the Marxist orthodoxy.

It also decided to strip the membership of two corrupt officials, former governor of Yunnan province, Li Jiating, and former vice-party secretary of Fujian, Shi Zhaobin.