ABSTRACT
When Jiang Zemin was appointed as Party general secretary in 1989 few analysts believed that he was likely to establish full authority over the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), given his total lack of experience with the armed forces. More than a decade later, Jiang is the most powerful political figure in China owing in part to his congenial relations with the military. Indeed, the PLA can be considered Jiang’s primary power base, and he has made use of its support to consolidate his position within the Party.
