vent h ▁National ▁Congress ▁of ▁the ▁Chinese ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Ren ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁Polit b uro ▁member ▁of ▁C PC ▁Central ▁Committee ▁and ▁the ▁party ' s ▁Central ▁Secretary - General . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Polit b uro ▁Stand ing ▁Committee ▁of ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party , ▁he ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁only ▁Ma o ▁Z ed ong , ▁Li u ▁Sh ao qi , ▁Z hou ▁En la i ▁and ▁Z hu ▁De . ▁In ▁late ▁November , ▁Ren ▁was ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁serious ▁ill ness ▁by ▁a ▁doctor ▁sent ▁under ▁the ▁orders ▁of ▁St alin , ▁which ▁reduced ▁his ▁participation ▁in ▁daily ▁party ▁politics . ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁Ren ▁began ▁draft ing ▁his ▁proposal ▁on ▁establish ing ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Youth . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁head ▁various ▁land ▁and ▁economic ▁re forms ▁in ▁Sh an bei ▁but ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁gradually ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁high ▁blood ▁pressure . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁Ren ▁attended ▁the ▁X iba ipo ▁Conference ▁with ▁Z hou , ▁Li u , ▁and ▁Z hu ▁De . ▁Despite ▁his ▁ill ness , ▁Ren ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁army ▁command ▁during ▁the ▁L ia os hen , ▁Hu ai hai ▁and ▁P ing jin ▁Camp aign s . ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Pre par atory ▁Committee