Chen Xitong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chen Xitong
|
|
|---|---|
| 陈希同 | |
 |
|
| CCP Beijing Committee Secretary | |
| In office October 1992 – September 1995 |
|
| Preceded by | Li Ximing |
| Succeeded by | Li Qiyan |
| Mayor of Beijing | |
| In office April 1983 – January 1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Jiao Ruoyu |
| Succeeded by | Wei Jianxing |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 10, 1930 Anyue, Sichuan, China |
| Died | June 2, 2013 (aged 82) Beijing, China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party (1949-1995) |
| Alma mater | Peking University |
Chen Xitong (Chinese: 陈希同; pinyin: Chén Xītóng; June 10, 1930 – June 2, 2013) was an important Chinese politician. He was a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party and served as the Mayor of Beijing. He left his position in 1995.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chen Xitong was born on June 10, 1930. His hometown was Anyue in Sichuan Province, China. When he was 18, he started studying at Peking University. He chose to major in Chinese Language. In 1949, he became a member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Political Career
Chen Xitong held many different jobs early in his career. He worked as a neighborhood leader and a police officer. He also managed a factory workshop. Later, he became a secretary to a top Beijing Communist Party official. He also worked in a rural area and led a county in Beijing.
During the Cultural Revolution, he faced difficulties and was removed from his position. However, his support for Deng Xiaoping helped him return to the Beijing Party office in 1979. By 1982, he was a key leader in the Beijing Communist Party. He was also chosen to be part of the 12th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. In April 1983, Chen Xitong became the Mayor of Beijing. He also served as a State Councilor starting in April 1988. He traveled to many countries, including North Korea, the U.S.A., and France, as part of international groups.
Role in 1989 Beijing Protests
Chen Xitong was the Mayor of Beijing during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre. He played a significant part in the events that happened then.
After the death of Hu Yaobang, a former leader, students in Beijing began to protest. They wanted to discuss various issues they felt were problems in the country. On April 22, during Hu's funeral, students asked to meet with Li Peng, the Premier. Their request was not granted.
Chen Xitong and Li Ximing, another Beijing Party leader, reported on the protests. They described the student protests as well-planned. They said the protests were growing quickly and involved many people. Based on their report, Deng Xiaoping, a very important leader, said it was "no ordinary student movement."
On April 26, a newspaper article called the protests "turmoil." This made the protests even bigger. On April 27, students marched despite police efforts to stop them. On April 30, Chen Xitong met with a student group not involved in the protests.
Later, on May 1, Chen Xitong expressed strong views about the situation. On May 13, students began a hunger strike. Chen Xitong and Li Ximing met with the students. They offered to share information about their own finances to address concerns about corruption. However, they could not reach an agreement with the students.
On May 18, Chen Xitong noted how the protests were affecting Beijing. He mentioned traffic problems and reduced work. On May 20, an order was signed by Chen Xitong to stop protests and strikes. This order led to even more people joining the protests.
On June 1, Chen Xitong spoke at a Children's Day event. He told the children they would soon be able to visit Tiananmen Square. On June 2, Chen Xitong and Li Ximing reported to Deng Xiaoping. They said the protests were part of a plan to disrupt China's progress. On the night of June 3, the military acted to clear the square. This resulted in many casualties.
On June 30, Chen Xitong gave an official report on the events. He said the protests were a "counter-revolutionary rebellion." He also suggested that foreign influences were involved. He accused some groups of trying to overthrow leaders.
Some experts believe Chen Xitong might have made the initial protests seem more dangerous than they were. This might have led to the strong response. Some thought he did this to avoid trouble in his area. Others believe he wanted to gain promotions within the party. Protesters often accused Chen Xitong of corruption.
After the Protests
After the protests, Chen Xitong continued to be promoted. He became the Beijing Party Secretary in 1991. In 1992, he also gained a seat in the Politburo.
Conversations with Chen Xitong In 2012, a book called Conversations with Chen Xitong was published. It was based on interviews with Chen Xitong. In the book, Chen Xitong said he did not play a major role in the crackdown. He said he had never visited Deng Xiaoping's home. He also claimed that another official had misinformed him about the student protests.
Chen Xitong stated he was not involved in writing the official report he read. He also said he did not know he was in charge of the crackdown on June 3-4 until much later. He expressed sorrow for the events of June 4, 1989. He said no one should have died. He also said reports of thousands of deaths were "nonsense." He also mentioned violence against military forces. Chen Xitong maintained that he is a strong communist and that opposing unrest was his basic view.
Later Life
Chen Xitong passed away on June 2, 2013. He was 82 years old.
Images for kids
-
Chen Xitong
