China's happy birthday for Jiang

The party has a birthday but Jiang Zemin gets the propaganda present

By Willy Lam
CNN Senior China Analyst

(CNN) -- President Jiang Zemin has turned out to be the biggest beneficiary of the marathon events being staged to celebrate the 80th birthday of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on Sunday.

The party's General Office and Publicity Department have sent out instructions to propaganda and other units to ensure that the spotlight will be put on achievements in economic development and social stability since Jiang became party chief in 1989.

Activities, to culminate in a nationally telecast extravaganza in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 1, will also play up Jiang's status as the equal of Chairman Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

More by Willy Wo Lap Lam Combating American hegemony   After 80 years CCP looks to future   How China retreats to attack   Hoisting the Red Flag   China's loss may prove a winner   New star in the making   China's cadres play 'Survivor'

Celebratory events since last week have already included a TV song-and-dance show in Changsha, Hunan province; a poetry readying in Nanjing, Jiangsu province; and an exhibition of military exploits at Urumqi, Xinjiang autonomous region.

A long commentary in the People's Daily compared Jiang's Theory of the Three Representations -- that the CCP is "representative" of the most advanced production forces and culture -- to the Communist Manifesto by Marx and Engels.

The official mouthpiece said if the party would follow the instructions by Marx, Mao, Deng and Jiang, it would bring about "the great renaissance of the Chinese race."

Another story on the People's Daily website praised the Jiang leadership's "superior ability in spearheading the nation's large-scale socialist modernization."

COUNTRY PROFILE At a glance: China Provided by CountryWatch.com    CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

Official papers on Tuesday also reported that a recent poem written by Jiang had been anthologized in a Chinese language textbook for primary students in Shanghai.

The papers said this was to "develop the students' patriotism and respect for great personages."

A party source in Beijing said Jiang was polishing the speech that he would deliver at the Great Hall of the People.

"Apart from dwelling on the old theme that 'there will be no New China without the CCP,' Jiang will demonstrate how ideas such as the 'three representations theory' can lead the party and nation to greater glories," the source said.

He added Jiang would highlight the nation's economic growth and heightened status on the global stage since he took over the helm 12 years ago.

"Jiang won't be saying much about political reform except to emphasize that all reforms must conform to the primary goal of maintaining social and political stability," the source said.