November 7, 1998
This was the standard convening time for the bi-monthly Standing Committee meeting. The topics concerning the Standing Committee had already been determined at the previous secretary's office meeting.
Liu Sicun, the secretary-general of the Municipal Party Committee, had also already distributed documents related to the discussions and issues of the Standing Committee meeting to each permanent committee member.
9 AM
All the standing committee members were present in a small conference room on the 15th floor of the Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee office building. At such gatherings, there is no need for seating arrangements; everyone naturally finds their own seat.
At 8:55, Zhang Zusi, the full-time deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, took a leisurely stroll into the room. Zhang is a very low-profile man among the standing committee members, maintaining an unobtrusive presence.
