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Hu YaobangChinese statesman and politician
Date of Birth: 20.11.1915
Country:  China |
Content:
Biography of Hu Yaobang
Hu Yaobang was a Chinese state and political leader, serving as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) from 1980 to 1987 and the Chairman of the CPC Central Committee from 1981 to 1982. He was born on November 20, 1915, in Luyan, Hunan province.
Early Life and Career
In 1929, Hu joined the Socialist Youth League of China and later became a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in September 1933. During the Chinese Civil War, he led the Chinese Communist Youth Movement. Hu gained popularity and authority for his role in modernizing China during Deng Xiaoping's leadership.
During the Japanese invasion of China, Hu served as the Deputy Political Commissar of the Yan'an Military and Political Academy and the Head of the Organizational Department of the General Political Department of the Army. After the war, he became a member of the Political Council of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military Region and participated in the defense of Zhangjiakou and the liberation of Shijiazhuang. Later, he joined the 18th Division of the New Fourth Army, where he served as the Chief of the Political Department and led operations to liberate Taiyuan and Baoji.
In 1949, after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, Hu became a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He held various leadership positions in Sichuan province and worked as the leader of the Civil Administration in the northern region. In 1952, he became the Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the New Democratic Youth League of China. Hu was elected as a member of the Central Committee of the CPC at the 8th Congress in 1956.
Leadership Positions
In 1957, the New Democratic Youth League of China was renamed the Communist Youth League of China, and Hu became its first secretary. He was appointed as the Secretary of the CPC Northwest China's Secretariat and the first secretary of the Shanxi Province Party Committee in 1965. However, during the Cultural Revolution, he was removed from all positions.
In 1975, Hu returned to work in the central organs of the CPC and led the party organization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He faced criticism from the "Gang of Four" in 1975-1976 for hindering the campaign to destroy scientific works.
After the defeat of the "Gang of Four," Hu was appointed as the Deputy Director of the Central Party School and the head of the organization department of the CPC Central Committee in 1977. He was elected as a member of the CPC Central Committee at the 11th Congress in August 1977. Later, in December 1978, Hu became a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and the Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. In February 1980, he was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo and became the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. In June 1981, he was elected as the Chairman of the CPC Central Committee.
As the leader of the CPC, Hu initiated and organized discussions on ideological standards to restore Marxist ideology within the party. He also led a campaign to rehabilitate illegally persecuted party members during the Cultural Revolution. Hu implemented a program for the development of the country's agriculture, benefiting 800 million peasants. He was considered a successor to Deng Xiaoping and worked towards liberalization and modernization.
Downfall and Death
In late 1986, student protests against corruption and calls for democratic reforms began to sweep across China. The government, led by Deng Xiaoping, cracked down on the protests and launched a campaign against bourgeois liberalism. As a result, Hu Yaobang was removed from his position as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee in January 1987.
On April 8, 1989, during a meeting of the 4th Plenary Session of the 13th Central Committee, Hu suddenly fell ill and experienced a heart attack. Despite stable condition until April 15, he passed away at 7:53 am due to acute myocardial infarction.
Hu Yaobang's death led to spontaneous mourning rallies in student districts of Beijing, which eventually escalated into mass student protests in Tiananmen Square.
He was buried in the Gunzheng Cemetery in Jiangsu province. The CPC declared him a "tested and loyal fighter for communism, a great proletarian revolutionary, and politician, an outstanding leader of the CPC." However, the Chinese government refrained from direct comments about Hu Yaobang after the events in Tiananmen Square. It was not until 2005, on the occasion of his 90th birthday, that the Chinese authorities openly recognized his contributions.
