BEIJING — Senior Communist Party officials today approved Zhao Ziyang, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping's senior aide, as interim party chief and endorsed policy documents expected to bolster Deng's drive to reform the economy and political structure.
The party's Central Committee announced after a brief session that it had approved draft amendments to the party constitution--a move that analysts expect will pave the way for Deng, 83, to fulfill his wish to "semi-retire" soon. The meeting also approved the Jan. 16 resignation of party General Secretary Hu Yaobang, putting Zhao in Hu's place.
