As China's new leadership team emerges, the world's attention has focused on President Jiang Zemin's successor. But this is misguided, for perhaps the most significant moment in China's recent history of boom and transformation was the 1998 appointment of Zhu Rongji (pronounced "Joo Rong-jee") as premier of the State Council, a position once held by Deng Xiaoping. Given the obvious importance of the post in recent years, the choice of Mr. Zhu's replacement may be of even more significance than President Jiang's departure from center stage.
As China's new leadership team emerges, the world's attention has focused on President Jiang Zemin's successor. But this is misguided, for perhaps the most significant moment in China's recent history of boom and transformation was the 1998 appointment of Zhu Rongji (pronounced "Joo Rong-jee") as premier of the State Council, a position once held by Deng Xiaoping. Given the obvious importance of the post in recent years, the choice of Mr. Zhu's replacement may be of even more significance than President Jiang's departure from center stage.