Jang Song Taek, on the far right in the top picture, with Kim Jong Il

“Her husband was a tall, slender, handsome man…as soon as they arrived, Kim Jong-il introduced us. ‘This is my younger sister, Kim Kyong-hui. This is Madame Choi. Say hello.’ Kyong-hui introduced herself first, then her husband said, smiling, ‘How do you do? I’m Chang Song-taek.”–Choi Eun-hee





“…he was clever and opportunistic in his own self-interest.”– Hwang Jang Yop on when he met Jang at KISU





The election of Jang Song Taek as NDC Vice Chairman on 7 June 2010 reaffirmed his status as one of the regime’s most important personalities. For the time being Jang remains as one of KJI’s primary political managers.


Mr. Jang’s four-decade career, charismatic personality and his personal ties across Party, government and the military make him the ideal manager of a hereditary succession campaign. He is also the regime’s most viable option, should the accession of Kim Jong Un become unpalatable.

Pyongyang 2010

Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un and the China Model -from BBC

North Korea has begun the process of political succession in the same idiosyncratic manner it has developed over the decades.
Just as the founder of the state, Kim Il-sung ("The Great Leader"), brought his son Kim Jong-il to the fore 30 years ago, so Kim Jong-il ("The Dear Leader") has now made clear his choice of his youngest son Kim Jong-un (to be known as "The Brilliant Comrade") to be his successor.
The difference may lie in the timing. Kim Jong-il's elevation to the status of heir apparent was in 1980, but it was not until his father died in 1994 that he formally took over power.
It seems unlikely that Kim Jong-un, who is about 27 will have to wait that long.

The present leader, who is 68, is widely thought to be a sick man, who may well have suffered a stroke in 2008. There has been speculation that the reason for delaying the present gathering of the ruling Workers' Party for a fortnight, a remarkable and slightly humiliating change for the North Korean leadership, was that he was ill once again.
If Kim Jong-il's health is indeed failing fast, this may explain why an apparently wide-ranging reshuffle of the leadership structure has emerged at this party meeting.
Hand of China
In the space of a few hours his son, Kim Jon-un became a four-star general, deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party, and a member of the Central Committee.


To bolster his position, the younger Kim's aunt, Kim Kyong-hui, was also made a general, as well as a member of the politburo.
Her husband, Chang Song-taek, is head of the National Defence Commission, and is usually regarded as the power behind the throne.
Behind this may lie a determined effort to assert the control of the Workers' Party over the military, who have traditionally been the leading power in North Korea.
If that is so, it seems likely that the hand of China lies behind much of this. The leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, rather than the foreign ministry, seems to be in charge of China's policy towards North Korea.
There have been clear signs that China would like North Korea to develop in very much the same way as China itself did in the 1970s and 80s, leading to the rampant and highly successful state-controlled capitalism of recent years.
The main architect of this change was Deng Xiaoping. Interestingly, his only formal official position for years was his control over the military committee of China's Communist Party: not very different from the most important of the young Kim Jong-un's new jobs.

China clearly wants reform in North Korea. The signs are that China is prodding North Korea down the path it took itself: control of the military by the Communist Party, and a gradual opening up of the economy to market forces.


To a very small extent, this already seems to be happening. People are being allowed to sell their produce openly in the streets, and at night the police no longer break up the illegal markets held in the darkened streets, as they did until recently.

It may not sound much, but it is very much the way the process began in China, a little over 30 years ago.

Kim Jong Un Centre Stage

Kim Jong Un on the Rise

A top North Korean official has made the first public comments that leader Kim Jong-il is likely to be succeeded by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.
Yang Hyong Sop, a senior official in the ruling Workers' Party, made the comments during an interview with the Associated Press in Pyongyang.
Kim Jong-un was promoted to top political and military positions at a rare party meeting last month.


The younger Kim's succession would cement the family dynasty.


Kim Jong-il, thought to be in poor health, came to power in 1994, following the death of his father, Kim Il-sung.
Kim Il-sung founded the nation of North Korea in 1948 on policy of self-reliance, and built a cult of personality around him and his son.
Four-star general
Speaking at the start of celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of the Workers' Party on Sunday, Mr Yang said: "Our people take pride in the fact that they are blessed with great leaders from generation to generation.
"Our people are honoured to be led by the great president Kim Il-sung and the great general Kim Jong-il. Now we also have the honour of being led by General Kim Jong-un," he said.
Celebrations get under way in Pyongyang to mark the 65th anniversary of the Workers' Party Little is known about Kim Jong-un, other than he is thought to be about 27 years old and was educated in Switzerland.
The world had its first up-to-date glimpse of the young man last month when state media published a photograph and video footage of him at the party's first congress for 30 years.
At the ceremony in Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un was made vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Workers' Party and was appointed to its central committee.
He was also given the rank of a four-star general.
These promotions have added to the intense international speculation that the younger Kim is being groomed to succeed his father.
Pyongyang is holding three days of celebrations to mark the 65th anniversary of the Workers' Party.

Officials say they will be biggest of their kind in the nation's history.
The ceremonies are expected to include a firework display on Friday evening, and culminate in a huge military parade in Kim Il-sung Square on Sunday.

Prime Minister of Peoples Republic of China,Mr Wen In Europe Now

When the Orient meets the Occident


By Chen Jie (China Daily)




BEIJING - Although Italy and China established diplomatic relations only 40 years ago, culturally the two empires, located at opposite ends of the Silk Road, have known each other for 2,000 years, Fan Di'an, dean of the National Art Museum of China, said at a press conference in Beijing, where the Chinese Culture Year in Italy was announced on Sept 29.







A visitor looks at artifacts from 17th century Italy during an exhibition about Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit priest and cultural ambassador who lived in China from 1582 until his death in 1610. The exhibition featured in this file photo was held in June and July at the Nanjing Museum in Jiangsu province. [Photo/Xinhua]





The cultural event will begin on Oct 7 with a concert performed by the China Philharmonic Orchestra at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma. Premier Wen Jiabao and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will attend the opening concert.



Dong Junxin, director of the bureau for external cultural relations at the Ministry of Culture, said the yearlong event will be the largest cultural activity China has launched in Europe following the Chinese Culture Year in France in 2003 and the Europalia China Arts Festival in Belgium in 2009.





"Italy and China both have great history, splendid art and each country has made a significant contribution to world civilization," Dong said.



"Ever since we established a diplomatic relationship in 1970, we've sought to develop all aspects of exchange and communication. The Chinese Culture Year in Italy will be our largest event to date.



"It is not only a platform for showcasing the diversity of Chinese culture to enable the Italians to know more about the Chinese," he explained. "It is also an opportunity to display a confident, open-minded and diverse China."



Riccardo Sessa, Italian ambassador to China, said the Italians and, indeed, many Europeans, knew about China through Marco Polo's pioneering journey to Asia in the 13th century.



He said he hopes the Chinese Culture Year in Italy will present a new opportunity for Italians to learn about not only Chinese culture and history, but also the dynamics of modern China.



Under the baton of Yu Long, the China Philharmonic Orchestra, which Gramophone magazine regards as one of the top 10 symphony orchestras in the world, will perform a concert that combines classical Italian opera and traditional Chinese music.



The first program, East Meets West in Operas, will feature artists from the Peking Opera, who will perform traditional Chinese arias, while the Italian bel canto vocalists will sing arias by Rossini and Puccini.



The renowned violin concerto Butterfly Romance will be performed by the Chinese violinist Lu Siqing, who won first prize in the prestigious Paganini Competition in Italy in 1987.



The program also includes the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi's opera Nabucco, followed by the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower.



In May 2008, the China Philharmonic Orchestra played the same piece under Yu's baton for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.



"The orchestra and I feel honored to return to Rome," Yu said in between rehearsals in Beijing. "Music is a unique, universal language that can help people from different nations, races and cultures to understand and respect each other.



"As musicians, we would like to do our part - playing music - to make China and its people, who love peace and pursue happiness, better understood in the world. The program interprets the harmony between China and Italy."



Following the opening concert, the Chinese Culture Year in Italy will feature hundreds of events in music, dance, drama and theater, as well as the folk and visual arts. Exhibitions will form a major part of the event, because Europeans are accustomed to attending museums, said Chen Ping, director of the bureau's Western Europe department, who is in charge of the event.



Fan, who will supervise the exhibitions in Italy, said there is a long history of communication in the visual arts between the two countries, adding the Italian artist Giuseppe Castiglione (1688-1766), a court painter for more than 50 years during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), was the first to bring Western oil painting to China.



In the 20th century, many Chinese artists traveled to Europe to learn oil painting, spending time in both Rome and Florence. Italian oil painting and sculpture have had a great impact on Chinese artists, while Chinese brush painting, calligraphy, architecture and gardening have, in turn, influenced their Italian counterparts.



According to Fan, Italian and Chinese art both have long histories, distinguished traditions and a flair for innovation.



The exhibitions in Italy will try to cover Chinese art throughout history, with each show having a specific theme and focus, she said.



There will also be lectures and seminars where Italians can learn more about Chinese art and culture.

Xinhua News-China and North Korea

BEIJING - China is ready to work closely with the new leadership of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to cement bilateral friendly cooperative ties, said Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Friday.
Xi made the remarks while addressing a reception at the DPRK embassy in Beijing to mark the 65th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
Xi said over the past 65 years, people of the DPRK had made remarkable achievements in overcoming difficulties, safeguarding national sovereignty and building Korean-style socialism.
He said General Secretary of the WPK Kim Jong Il had led the party and people to be self-reliant, to struggle arduously and to make great achievements in the cause of building a strong and prosperous socialist country.

"We believe that under new leadership of the WPK, the DPRK people will see greater progress in developing its economy, improving living standards, achieving peaceful national unification and expanding foreign relations," said Xi.

China was glad to see the continuous consolidation and development of bilateral ties nurtured by generations of state leaders and the joint efforts of the two peoples.

Xi also recalled Kim Jong Il's two China trips this year, in which the DPRK leader had reached important accords with General Secretary Hu Jintao of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

"We are willing to join hands with the DPRK new leadership to further promote China-DPRK friendly cooperative relations in a spirit of carrying forward the tradition, looking forward to the future, developing good-neighborliness and friendship and boosting cooperation," Xi said.