Ling Jihua and Wang Huning

Those of us who count the nightly nationwide China Central Television (CCTV) news bulletin at 7.00 pm as one of our favourite television programs will certainly notice that whether for events marking the recent 60th National Day celebrations, state visits, or important political events/functions, two names would invariably be mentioned in the same breath - Ling Jihua (令计划) and Wang Huning (王沪宁, pictured).

Both are secretariat members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), while Wang also concurrently holds the position of director of the Central Policy Research Center.

Jihua (计划) in Chinese means "plan" or "planned". So it is with great interest that I found out that Ling has four other siblings (three brothers and one sister) with equally interesting/unique names - 路线 (route or itinerary), 政策 (policy), 完成 (complete or completion), and 方针 (policy or guiding principle). (中共政局全破译, 极目 编著, 新文化图书有限公司, 2007)

As for Wang, a graduate from Shanghai Teacher's Training College and Fudan University's Department of International Relations, he had been described by former Chinese President Jiang Zemin (江泽民) as China's "youngest political scientist."

According to author Ji Mu, "(王)为江立下了汗马功劳. "三个代表" 就是王提出的, 成为中共章程和中国宪法的内容. 难能可贵的是, 胡锦涛不避前嫌, 重用王滬宁; 王滬宁只为政治理想, 助胡锦涛创立新理论. "和平崛起", "立党为公,执政为民", 东北振兴战略(温家宝首次提出构思),都是王沪宁向胡建议的."

("Wang has made outstanding contributions for Jiang for coming up with the concept of "The Three Represents" which was subsequently written into China's Constitution. What is especially commendable is that Hu Jintao had graciously taken on the services of and entrusted Wang with heavy responsibilities. To fulfil his vision as a political scientist, Wang helped Hu devise theories such as "peaceful ascendancy", "building the party for the public good, ruling to benefit the masses", and even the strategy to help revive China's northeastern region, a proposal which first raised by Wen Jiabao").

Ji Mu concluded that analysts should not take their eyes off Wang as the latter is likely to come up with new "theoretical thinking" that might further propel China's political reform.