CHINA-LEADERSHIP: FUNERAL COMMITTEE HEADED BY XI JINPING DECIDES THERE WILL BE NO FUNERAL FOR JIANG ZEMIN
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Taking an unusual step, the funeral committee set up for Jiang Zemin's funeral under the
chairmanship of Chinese President Xi Jinping, announced (December 1) that there will be no
funeral for Jiang Zemin. It did, however, say there would be a large meeting at the Great Hall
of the People in Beijing and that there will be no entertainments and celebrations on December
3 and that flags in all government buildings and foreign embassies would fly at half-mast that
day.
(Comment: The decision not to have a funeral would be because of the apprehension that it
might attract large crowds and metamorphose into opposition to Xi Jinping and the CCP
leadership. Memories of Hu Yaobang's funeral have obviously not faded. The decision
implicitly acknowledges the discontent in society.)
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