Hu Yaobang - Early career, Reformer, Death and the Tiananmen protests, Possible rehabilitation

Chinese politician, born in Hunan province, SEC China. He took part in the Long March (1934–6), and held a number of posts under Deng Xiaoping before becoming head of the Communist Youth League (1952–67). He was purged during the Cultural Revolution (1966–9), then briefly rehabilitated (1975–6), but did not return to high office until 1978, when, through his patron Deng, he joined the Communist Party's Politburo. From head of the secretariat he was promoted to Party leader in 1981, but dismissed in 1987 for his relaxed handling of a wave of student unrest. Popularly revered as a liberal reformer, his death triggered an unprecedented wave of pro-democracy demonstrations.

Hu Yaobang

12th General Secretary of the Communist Party of China
In office 1980 – 1987
Preceded by	Vacant, last hold by Deng Xiaoping
Succeeded by	Zhao Ziyang
Chairman of the Communist Party of China
In office 1981 – 1982
Preceded by	Hua Guofeng
Born	November 20, 1915 Hunan, China
Died	April 15, 1989 Jiangxi, China
Political party	Communist Party of China

Hu Yaobang (Chinese: 胡耀邦 Pinyin: Hú Yàobāng, Wade-Giles: Hu Yao-bang;

Early career

Born in Liuyang City, Hunan province to a poor peasant family, Hu left home at age 14 to join the Chinese Communist forces, becoming a member of the Communist Party of China in 1933.

Reformer

As Deng Xiaoping gradually regained control over the CPC, Deng's rival Hua Guofeng was replaced by Zhao Ziyang as Premier of the People's Republic of China in 1980, and by Hu Yaobang as Party Chairman in 1981. Hu was also made General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in 1980 but, until the mid-1990s, it was Deng who was the most influential Chinese leader although his sole official title was that of chairman of the Communist Party's Central Military Commission.

During his reign, Hu tried to rehabilitate the people who were persecuted during the Cultural Revolution.

Although Hu was a dedicated reformer and one of Deng Xiaoping's most important associates, he was later forced to resign in 1987 from his post as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China; Deng forced Hu to resign because Hu failed to control the student demonstrations in 1986.

Death and the Tiananmen protests

Hu Yaobang died due to a heart attack two years later at a Party Political Bureau meeting on April 15, 1989. In his death announcement, he was described as: "Comrade Hu Yaobang was a long-tested and staunch communist warrior, a great proletarian revolutionist and statesman, an outstanding political leader for the Chinese army". The mourning became a public conduit for anger against perceived nepotism in the government, the unfair dismissal and early death of Hu, and the behind-the-scenes role of the "old men", officially retired leaders who nevertheless maintained quasi-legal power, such as Deng Xiaoping.

After Hu's funeral, his body was cremated.

Possible rehabilitation

Despite the highly favorable official evaluation of Hu by the PRC government, the media was muted, and his name was not mentioned publicly after 1989.

Plans to rehabilitate Hu Yaobang were reported in the Washington Post September 9, 2005.

On November 18, 2005, The Communist Party officially celebrated the 90th anniversary of Hu Yaobang's birth (date was changed to two days before), with activities at the People's Hall.

This was the first time since his death that Hu's name appeared publicly.

Some political analysts have argued that the current administration under President Hu Jintao wishes to associate itself with the popular Hu Yaobang. Hu Yaobang was also responsible for promoting Hu Jintao to the CPC central office.