Xi Zhongxun

Xi Zhongxun (October 15, 1913 – May 24, 2002) was a communist revolutionary and a State Councillor of the People's Republic of China. He is considered to be among the first generation of Chinese leadership.

Biography

Born October 15, 1913 in a land-owning farm family in Fuping, Shaanxi, Xi joined the Communist Youth League in May 1926 and the Communist Party of China in 1928. Xi was the Deputy Prime Minister of China from 1959 to 1962, and the Governor of Guangdong from 1979 to 1981.

He made major contributions to China, firstly as the man who mentored future leaders of China such as Hu Jintao, Wen Jiabao and second as the man who proposed and implemented China's first economic zone, Shenzhen, which later was used as the standard model for the other economic zones.

He was remembered for his friendship to his colleagues, his tolerance to diverse cultures and religions, his idealism of an open market socialist country and his integrity in his beliefs. He was one of the few upper level leaders who voted during the 1980s for open reform and was persecuted afterwards for this bold move.

In 1962, Xi Zhongxun fell out of favor with the Communist Party and was accused of disloyalty to Chairman Mao. In addition, Xi later publicly condemned the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989.Page, Jeremy (October 18, 2010). , Wall Street Journal He was rarely seen after that, although it has been reported that he has...
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