Western Speculation
In the early 1990s there was considerable speculation outside of China that Qiao Shi would rise to further prominence. Some pointed to his being virtually untouched by the fallout of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, despite his alleged pro-democracy sympathies. Others claimed that his appointment as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress was actually a demotion because the post was mostly ceremonial despite being equally ranked with Qiao Shi's previous posts. It was also claimed that Qiao Shi (born with surname Jiang), was related to Chiang Kai-shek, and could help to resolve the Taiwan issue. There was hope that, with Qiao Shi as leader, the Communist Party of China would pursue further reforms towards a more legalist and democratic system of government. However, the speculation turned out unfounded and Qiao Shi retired in 1998 from his number three position as Chairman of the National People's Congress.
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