Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Apr 20, 2015 (I)

choi

(1)
(a) Dexter Roberts, Xi Checks His Back.

Quote:

“Willy LAM 林和立, a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and author of a just released book, Chinese Politics in the Era of Xi Jinping * * * One former leader on whom Xi keeps an eye is 88-year-old former President Jiang Zemin. Lam says China’s feared graft-busting agency, led by Xi’s right-hand man, Wang Qishan, has likely invested possible financial wrongdoing by Jiang Mianheng, Jiang’s eldest son * * * Earlier in his [son’s] career his nickname was the Prince of IT for his role in brokering deals. He is now president of ShanghaiTech University 上海科技大学 [2013- ]. Lam says government sources inform him {Lam] that Jiang Mianheng ‘is under tight surveilance and not allowed to leave the country. In a sense, Xi has used him [son] as a sort of hostage to intimidate Jiang Zemin and keep the old man in line.’ * * *

“Ensuring Jiang’s acquiescence is even more important given Xi;s plans to replace scores of officials appointed by [elder] Jiang during his 13-year reign, points out Ding Xueliang, a professor of social science at the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology/  ‘He and Wang Qishan aim to get rid of many of the senior political cadres in order to open up positions for their trusted comrades,’ particularly after the Party Congress in 2017 * * *

“The pressure put on Jiang’s followers is part of Xi’s quest to secure his power even if it means flouting party convention. Before he stepped down from presidency, Hu Jintao tapped his ally Hu Chunhua, or Little Hu, as Xi’s most likely successor, Just as Jiang helped Xi to the president’s office. Today that outcome is uncertain. Xi will look for a candidate of his own choice, says Lam.

My comment:
(a) summary underneath the title in print: China’s president’s trying to eliminate his predecessors’ influence
(b) “check one’s back” does seem to be a phrase, and literally means what it says.
(c) This essay is not found in the Web--most likely locked behind the pay wall.
(d) Willy Wo-Lap Lam, Chinese Politics in the Era of Xi Jinping; Renaissance, reform or retrogression?  Routledge, Mar 18, 2015 (in English).
(e) The quotation above accounts for about a fifth of the essay. There is no need to read the rest, which is familiar to us.

(b) Guangdong Chief's Star Is Fading. South China Morning Post (SCMP), Mar 18, 2015
www.scmp.com/news/china/article/ ... amid-his-lacklustre
("Not so long ago, China watchers had viewed Hu as a strong candidate to win a seat in the Communist Party's supreme decision-making body in 2017. But not any more, it seems. * * * A prominent Guangzhou political columnist said: 'It's [President Xi Jinping's] world now. Hu has neither ties with him nor any remarkable political track record. * * * Even among foreign diplomats, Hu is overshadowed by his predecessor Wang Yang , who is now vice-premier") (brackets original)

Note: SCMP did not translate this report.