"Westerners began building up Beidaihe as a summer retreat in the late 19th century, as the Qing dynasty waned. When the People’s Liberation Army entered in 1948, the resort had 719 villas, according to China Daily
"Some political observers had expected that by now the party would have concluded the investigation into Mr. Bo and his wife, who is suspected of killing a British businessman. Several people with high-level party ties say that Mr. Bo, who is being held in secret and without charges, is fighting back against interrogators, and that party leaders are having a difficult time deciding how to resolve his case.
"In May [this year], more than 300 senior cadres were asked at a meeting to list the officials they thought should make the Politburo Standing Committee, where all the seats are in play except for the top two. * * * Such surveys are intended as reference points only * * * One member of the party elite said several people associated with Mr. Hu’s political base did not do well. Two insiders said one person who ranked high was Wang Qishan
"A contraction of the Standing Committee [from nine seats to 7] could also hurt those vying for seats who are not among the very top candidates, most notably Wang Yang
Note:
(a) The report said, "Beidaihe is a Chinese combination of the Jersey Shore and Martha's Vineyard, with a pinch of red fervor."
Jersey Shore is for the mass, and Martha's Vinyard, for the rich and famous, including US presidents.
(b) rEGARDING The palaver in "the summer palaver."