Twenty-five years after his death, Hu Yaobang still remembered as pragmatic reformist
Twenty-five years after his death, Hu Yaobang is still remembered by many, even including some of his former foes, as one of the most popular Communist Party leaders for his pragmatic reform policies and humanistic, liberal-leaning approach.
Twenty-five years after his death, Hu Yaobang is still remembered by many, even including some of his former foes, as one of the most popular Communist Party leaders for his pragmatic reform policies and humanistic, liberal-leaning approach.
The low-key visit to Hu Yaobang’s old residence last week by former president Hu Jintao is perhaps most telling about the Communist Party’s attitude towards its former leader. Even after an official taboo over commemorating Hu was lifted in 2005, Party officials still remain cautious about the reformist whose death in 1989 sparked a democracy movement that changed China forever.
He was a staunch proponent of opening the economy as rapidly as possible and scrapping Stalin-Maoist dogma in favour of pragmatic steps to develop the economy
Xigen Li, a professor with City University of Hong Kong’s department of media and communication, said that Hu Jintao only visited his former mentor’s residence in Hunan province after his retirement as he was careful in avoiding controversy.
“His visit to Hu Yaobang’s residence can be seen as just being personal and thus avoid any political controversy,” Li said.
Handpicked and groomed by Hu Yaobang, the younger Hu gradually climbed up the ladder of the Youth League and the Communist Party. The two Hus are not related.
Tuesday marks the 25th anniversary of the death of the former party chief.
“He was the most reform-minded and liberal leader within the Chinese Communist Party,” said Xiaoyu Pu, professor of Political Science with the University of Nevada, Reno.
