The World - News from Sept. 13, 1988

China has completed its first multi-candidate elections of provincial leaders, the weekly Beijing Review reported. The journal said the elections, which ended in August, “marked a new step forward for democracy” in China, where formerly there was only one candidate chosen by the Communist Party for each seat. The Beijing Review said that of China’s 29 provinces, the governors of eight and the chairmen of 11 provincial people’s congresses were chosen in multi-candidate votes. Deputy governors and vice chairmen in 28 regions faced competition, it said. Voting was by legislative deputies. Ordinary citizens vote directly only at township and county level.