1. GV AND SV Delegates at Party Congress (9 shots) 0.58
2. SV PAN INTERIOR Marshal Ye Jianying attending army leaders meeting, enters and takes seat 1.07
3. GV Meeting in progress 1.15
4. SV Marshal Jianying 1.28
InitialsWS/SW


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Background: PEKING, CHINA

Marshal Ye Jianying, China's elder statesman, has been excluded from the new 172-member Council of Elders, a body set up by the current Party Congress to provide an advisory role for veteran revolutionaries. Marshal Ye, now 83, has been Vice-Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party since 1977 and high-ranking member of the Party since 1924, he was Deputy-Chief of Staff on the Long March of 1934-36, and rose to membership of the ruling Politbureau in 1977. Diplomatic analysts said they were puzzled by Ye Jianying's omission from the new body, which was created to handle the withdrawal from active life of just such national heroes. Marshal Ye, seen here attending a session of the Party congress on September 8, was reported to have voiced reservations about the reformist policies of Party strongman Deng Xiaoping. His health--he was seen closely attended by nurses during televised sessions of the Congress--is being advanced as a reason for his exclusion from the new commission. Marshal Ye, also seen here meeting senior army officers on September 8, told the Party Congress on September 6 that because of his failing health he had asked to retire many times.

Source: CENTRAL CHINA TELEVISION (CCTV)