1.   Millions of workers are due to be fired as companies cut costs under the plan announced at the party congress last fall.

2.   Party leaders removed Qiao at a Communist Party congress last fall from the seven-member standing committee that is the apex of party power.

3.   It also signaled that state enterprise reform will be a key topic when the party leadership holds a congress this fall.

4.   With a major Communist Party congress this fall, Li should be looking like a lame duck.