Word: hua
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...elevation of Hua Kuo-feng to the chairmanship of the Chinese Communist Party should lead to a gradual improvement of Chinese relations with the Soviet Union, perhaps at the expense of the United States, Ross G. Terrill, associate professor of Government, told a Kirkland House audience last night...
...incident began to circulate. According to informed East European sources, Chiang Ch'ing had tried, even before the death of Mao, to persuade Peking Regional Military Commander Ch'en Hsi-lien to help her organize a coup d'etat, but Ch'en went and informed Hua of the danger. Another story from Peking claimed that Mao's scheming widow had even launched an abortive attempt to assassinate Hua. Whether these rumors are true, or simply lies leaked by the moderates to justify a pre-emptive move, it is not hard to find reasons...
...bank robberies, fighting among gangs of youths and even overt acts of sabotage. Then came the great earthquakes that hit China this summer, probably killing or injuring more than 1 million people and giving an urgency to the need for firm, united leadership. Indeed, it was very possible that Hua and his allies might have decided that the country could no longer tolerate the general erosion of political authority...
...however, it is impossible to say with certainty whether the events of the past few weeks represent a true climax to the power struggle or only the beginning of a new phase. The fact that the Central Committee had not, as of week's end, confirmed Hua's appointment as party Chairman was in itself ominous. It could simply mean that the party leaders wanted to take the time to work out the entire lineup of the new hierarchy, but it could also mean that the committee was still divided over the country's future leadership...
...either case, Hua remains very much an enigma. So little is known of his background and capabilities-his age and education and family background are all mysteries-that it is hard to judge his chances of remaining in power. He is evidently a man of great administrative ability, but he lacks the kind of charisma that the Chinese have long associated with their party Chairman. And though he seems to have the support of other key elements, especially the army and the party bureaucracy, he may not have a strong enough power base to survive a major challenge...