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Even in death, Beijing denies Zhao Zi yang recognition
Zhao’s family had requested that, in accordance with his position as a former premier, he be given a full state funeral; Beijing has reportedly refused for fears that a state funeral could damage the authority of the CCP, which has tried to keep Zhao persona non grata since his removal from power in 1989.
Widely regarded a political moderate, though only in comparison to other Chinese Officials, Zhao was purged China’s ruling elite after the crushing of the 1989 pro democracy movement in Beijing because his sympathy for the demonstrators was considered to be dangerous to the continuation of the CCP. Since his purging, Zhao had been kept under permanent house arrest, and firmly out of public sight.
It is widely thought that granting Zhao burial with state honors could lead to a resurgence of calls for the social, political, and economic reforms that Zhao advocated, many of which have been rescinded or diminished by subsequent leaders, or have not yet seen fruition.
It has also been suggested that lowering China’s national flag to ‘half mast’ a common international symbol of respect at state funerals, could be seen as an admission of past failings of China’s leadership.
Since his removal from office, Zhao has strategically been removed from China’s political landscape and from Chinese history books, something that is common when dealing with embarrasing or problomatic incidents in China.
Acknowledgement of Zhao and his pro reform agenda is often seen as damaging to subsequent leaders who followed a far more guarded agenda, so as to preserve the state and standing of the Chinese government, and to maintain substantive control over Chinese social development. In recent years, some reforms championed by Zhao, most notably in the field of personal and social freedoms, has been diminished by a government trying to remain the sole source of information and perspective in the face of expanding communications and debate.
Displays of public morning have been strongly discouraged, particularly in and around Tiananmen, Beijing, where Zhao met with protesters in 1989 to try and bring their protests to a peaceful resolution. A candle lit vigil that attracted nearly 10,000 pro reform supporters was held in Hong Kong. Government officials were called on not to attend as it could be seen as statement against China’s current nationalist leadership.
Even in death, Zhao Zi yan still haunts Beijing
Zhao Zi yang
Born 17 October 1919
Died 17 January 2005
During the 1960s Zhao spearheaded an anti corruption campaign to purge corrupt officials from the party, only to be denounced during the Cultural Revolution and forced to spend four years in a labor camp.
After his release from detention Zhao become an official in North China, later moving to South China. He instituted reforms in Sichuan Province that raised industrial output by 81% and it agricultural output by 25% in the space of three years.
Zhao advocated gradual reforms of China’s socialist system which improved productivity but lead to increased inflation, as well as an opening up of the country to foreign relations and personal freedoms.
After being purged in 1989, Zhao spent fifteen years confined to his home by the government; remaining under house arrest until his death, reports of which were kept out of the media until its announcement was cleared by the government.
Xinhua, China’s state media group, announced Zhioa’s death with a four line passage; omitting all historical and biographical details. Announcements were not immediately made on State run radio or television.
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Comrade Zhao Ziyang died of illness in a Beijing hospital Monday. He was 85. |
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The English translation is accurate, though the text has been re ordered.
If I were the organizer of such things, I would give him a state funeral
and use it as a propaganda opportunity to give a "funeral" to outmoded
policies/plans. I don't know if the Chinese have something analogous to a
wake, but if they do, then that would be the time to laud the improved, new
policies. But maybe I'm just being too Machiavellian about
this....
Visit me @ http://www.journalscape.com/rhubarb/
Unfortunately Zhao's polocies were way ahead of their time for China. Even
fifteen years later many have not been realized, and when it comes to
freedom of expressino, things have actually gone backwards in the last two
or three years.
By giving Zhao a big send off the Chinese government could revitalise interest in his dreams for China. Zhao went down in person to the protesters in Tiananmen and tried to get them to pursuade them to go home. Can you see the current Chinese leadership doing this?
Zhao is a threat even in death, he wanted to liberalize China which would have meant weakening the grasp of the government and relaxing its control over the media. This is dangerous stuff right now.