Zhou's Choices in the Battle of Lin Biao

Mao chose this plenum at Lu Shan to let everyone know how he felt about Lin Biao wanting the state president position. He used the whole matter of who should be the next state president as his means of making his opening moves against Lin. Mao thought the position, a ceremonial one, should just be love vacant. Liu Xiaoche used to hold it, but now that he was purged, there was no need to fill it. For Zhou Enlai, this was quite a blessing to counter Lin Biao's influence.