The Foreign Service Journal, May 2005

Deng Xiaoping and other leaders. But the most impor- tant part of the interviews is Zhao’s recounting of events around Tiananmen. He defends his speech to the Fourth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth Central Committee, convened in June 1989 for the express purpose of dealing with Zhao and reorganizing the top leadership, including confirming Jiang Zemin’s selection as general secretary. The text of Zhao’s remarks was leaked many years ago, but these interviews, being more informal, capture more of the human dynamic and give him a chance to explain his thinking. Zhao argues that prior to his departure for North Korea on April 23, 1989, there was no obvious dis- agreement within the CCP leadership on how to deal with the student movement, which was calming down. Premier Li Peng, in accordance with party protocol, saw Zhao off at the train station and asked if he had any instructions. Zhao replied that there were three things: “First, Hu Yaobang’s memorial was over, so it was nec- essary to restore normal order, to resume classes; sec- ond, do not exacerbate contradictions, do not use force; and third, beating, smashing, looting and arson were different matters.” Li did not express any dissent and reported Zhao’s instructions back to Deng — who, according to Zhao, said to manage things according to Zhao’s views (p. 569). But things did not turn out that way. On the evening of April 24, Li Ximing and Chen Xitong of the Beijing CCP Committee asked to report on the student move- ment to the Politburo Standing Committee, saying the situation was very serious. In the first (1995) interview contained in the book, Zhao states that prior to his going to North Korea, Li and Chen had not reported to him the activities they now accused the students of. But in the third (2000) interview, Zhao says that Li Ximing gave him a call before he left for North Korea and said things were very serious. Zhao then comments, “Li Ximing was pret- ty honest; it’s just that he was conservative and tradition- al. Chen Xitong was more diabolical (gui)” (p. 602). In the event, the Politburo Standing Committee held a meeting the night of April 24 and decided that the stu- dents were carrying out “anti-party, anti-socialist activities F O C U S M A Y 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 49