Divisions in ruling party exposed

But to many,neither Bo nor the explanation of his collapse is so clear-cut.

Some Chinese leaders clearly hope that this year will mark another milestone in Chinas rise under authoritarian rule: the first time that a whole new slate of leaders is chosen largely by consensus among the political elite,not handpicked by a powerful strongman.

However,with the dismissal and investigation last month of Bo Xilai,the party secretary of metropolitan Chongqing,the notions of stability and consensus in Chinas secretive political system have taken a big and possibly lasting hit.

Bos spectacular fall from grace is being dissected in varying ways: a titanic power struggle between Bos neo-Maoist left and the more liberal and market-oriented right; infighting among ruling cliques; a seizing of the moment by Bos many highly motivated political enemies.

But to many,neither Bo nor the explanation of his collapse is so clear-cut. They see a collision between a Communist Party that prizes stability and secrecy in choosing its leaders,and a new kind of leader who set his own political agenda and thrived on public adulation.

The concern was not that Bo would change the delicate balance of power,but that he would lead the party completely out of control, said Cheng Li,an expert on Chinas elite at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Its more than a power struggle. Its a corresponding interest to maintain the legitimacy of the Communist Party to survive.

Shorn of their standard-bearer,Chinas leftists seem in at least temporary retreat. Chinas leadership has moved swiftly to paper over any sign of discord. Communist Party journals have showcased exhortations to promote stability and ignore malicious rumours a clear reaction to false reports of an impending coup that spread online last week.

The newspaper The Peoples Liberation Army Daily minced no words. Historical experience shows that whenever the party and country faces major issues,and whenever reform and development reach a crucial juncture,struggle in the ideological arena becomes even more intense and complex, it said.

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We must pay close attention to the impact of the Internet,mobile phones and other new media on the thinking of officers and troops, said the newspaper.

Enforced by the leadership,Chinas rigid status quo is returning in full force. Which is not precisely what Chinas reformers were hoping for.