RESEARCH DEPARTMENT REPORT:
ACTIVITIES OF CHINESE LEADERSHIP, MAY-MID JUNE 1989
Summary
1. An intense power struggle took place as Chinese leaders tried to deal with the student unrest. The leadership moved from the conciliatory approach to hardline tactics with the imposition of Martial Law on 20 May. Some leaders were conspicuous by their absence. A leadership reshuffle is likely in the near future.
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Detail
Pre Martial Law
2.
"a
Up until mid the May Chinese leadership showed remarkable tolerance in their handling of the student demonstration. They may have misread the determination and the organisation of the student protestors. On 3 May Zhao Ziyang addressed a meeting to commemorate the 4 May movement (of 1919). He urged stability and warned: country of promise will be turned into a country of hopelessness and turbulence". At a meeting of visiting governors of the Asian Development Bank on 4 May, Zhao Ziyang said that the recent demonstrations did not indicate political instability but "the demonstrators merely wanted to correct errors in the party and government work. The reasonable demands of the students should be met through democratic and legal means". He also said he was confident that there would be "no big riots and the demonstrations will gradually calm down". Li Peng addressed the same meeting and said "although the government disapproves of certain actions taken by some students, it thinks that many of the students propositions and demands are basically in line with what party and government advocate and demand". Leaders also appeared willing to acquiesce in part to the student's demand for dialogue. The Minister of Agriculture, He Kang, held talks with students from agricultural colleges and universities on 7 May. Between 11-13 May Hu Qili, Rui Xingwen, Yan Mingfu and Wang Renzhi visited Xinhua newsagency and various newspapers to hold talks with editors, journalists and cadres. Hu Qili reportedly said "this dialogue has been start of exchanges, not the end of them". As the Sino-Soviet summit got closer and appeals to the students to end their demonstrations had little effect, leaders began to talk to the students directly. On 13 May Li Tieying, Li Ximing, Chen Xitong and others went to
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