1 MVZ-207 Chinese Foreign Policy since 1949 Mgr. Jan Polišenský Spring 2011 Week 7 - To Fear No One and to Offend No One (1989 – 1998) China and Czechoslovakia • 1984 - Zhu Rongji (vice-minister in charge of the commission State Economic commission) visited Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Poland • 1984 – Minister of Foreign trade – Chen Muhua visited Prague, signed treaty on economical, trade, science cooperation • However, when Li Peng ( Premier of the PRC) visited Europe, he went only to Germany, Poland, Hungary • Due to the more conservatism of the Czechoslovakia communism = golden years of relations between China and Czechoslovakia China and Czechoslovakia • 1986 - CS Minister of Foreign Affairs B. Chnoupek visited China, and meet wit the officials at the highest level, with Hu Yaobang (6th General Secretary of the Communist Party of China) • 1986 – Zhao Ziyang visited Prague and stated that the relations are normalized, and signed the treaty for the double tax, and other documents • 1987 - The Chinese minister of foreign affairs Wu Xueqin visitied Prague and met with President Husak, and General Secretary Strougal China and Czechoslovakia • Next month, Strougal visited China, and take tour to visit chinese cities • 1988- Vasil Bilak, Milos Jakes, Gustav Husak visited China Four Cardinal Principles • Deng Xiaoping in 1979, four issues for which debate was not allowed: • The principle of the socialist path • The principle of the democratic proletariat • The principle of the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and • The principle of upholding Marxist-Leninist-Mao Zedong thought Four Cardinal Principles 2 Four Cardinal Principles Hu Yaobang, General Secretary Hu Yaobang • (1915–1989) • A second-generation party leader and pre– Cultural Revolution head of the CCP Youth League. • A liberal who actively supported Deng Xiaoping’s reforms • Hu was tabbed to succeed Hua Guofeng as party chief in 1982. • Hu was later forced out by hard-liners in 1987, and his sudden death in April 1989 triggered the Tiananmen student protests. Zhao Ziyang • (1919–2005) • The Chinese premier and general secretary of the CCP in the 1980s. • He helped to design and implement Deng Xiaoping’s market reforms. • Zhao’s pro-student sympathies during the 1989 Tiananmen protests angered Deng, resulting in Zhao’s ouster and house arrest • House arrest for 16 years, until his death Pre-Tiananmen • 1986 – Students demonstrations • 1987 – After forced resignation of Hu Yao Bang – campaign against liberal bourgeois targeted against intelligentsia • Zhao Ziyang inspired by Hu Yaobang – stated that the political reforms are required Pre-Tiananmen • 1987 Zhao – report on political reforms to the parties 13 national congress • Complete separation of functions between party and government • Eliminating party cells within stated ministerial agencies • These small groups had traditionally allowed a minority party members dominant voice within all government organs, and now there were to be resolved • Party members, in public court 3 Tiananmen Protests • 15 April 1989 - unexpected death of Hu Yaobang (Party Political Bureau meeting) • Tens of thousands students - marched to Tiananmen to mourn Hu Yao Bang • Demanded his restoration of Hu good name and reputation • Gov't refused to acknowledge the demands • Second week of May – student’s hunger strike was initiated Tiananmen Protests • 17 – April – Students march – wanted dialog with Li Peng • 22 April – Funeral of Hu Yaobang • Gorbachev's visit in China – world wide media coverage • Deng was determined not to backed down • Li Peng meeting with students - Students demanded to recognize the students movement as democratic and patriotic • People’s Daily published an editorial on April 26 calling for political stability and defining the demonstrations as “turmoil” • The demonstrations were begun by Beijing students to encourage continued economic reform and liberalization • Students’ demonstrations to ask for more democracy and reversing Hu Yaobang’s verdict • Larger scale demonstrations and Zhao Ziyang’s speech on May 4th Tiananmen Protests • May 20 - Li Peng, a hardline conservative, declared martial law • June 4 - military crackdown (Officially 200 deaths) • After June 4 - widespread arrests of protesters and their supporters around China. • Banned the foreign press from the country • Strict control coverage of the events in the domestic press • General Secretary Zhao Ziyang, was placed under house arrest with other officials that supported the movement Tiananmen Massacre Deng commented on June 6: “Of all China’s problems, the one that trumps everything is stability. We have to jump on anything that might bring instability. …We can’t care what foreigners say.” Tiananmen Protests 4 • The nature of the Tiananmen demonstrations prior to June 4, 1989 • CCP leadership: organized by a conspiracy between a very small number of political careerists and various political forces and reactionary organizations abroad, who created turmoil followed by a counterrevolutionary rebellion aimed at toppling the CCP and subverting the socialist PRC Tiananmen Protests – Chinese viewpoint • “This storm was bound to come sooner or later. This is determined by the major international climate and China’s own minor climate. It was bound to happen and is independent of man’s will. It was just a matter of time and scale.” • Post-Tiananmen leadership • Jiang Zemin, Li Peng, (later) Zhu Rongji Deng Xiaoping stated on June 9, 1989 Ambivalence toward the end of the Cold War • Watching the politics of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union closely • Gorbarchev’s changing images in China from a reformer to a traitor • Soviets loosened grip on its satellites: “no universal model of socialism” and no intervention • Alarming sea changes in Eastern Europe in 1989 • America’s initial reaction to Tiananmen • Bush told Wan Li, NPC chairman, to exercise “restraint” after the declaration of martial law • After June 4: suspension of military contacts and technology transfer, extending Chinese student visas • Bush failed to reach Deng by phone • The secret journey of Scowcroft (early July 1989) to explain domestic politics; Richard Nixon came to China in October • European Arms Embargo Foreign Response •2011 Chinese protests •Twitter, Boxun, Facebook •The United States Ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman, Jr. •Censorship •Crackdown on foreign press Jasmin Revolution