Just as the Chinese authorities have completely rewritten history with their razor-sharp pens in an attempt to erase Zhao Ziyang's (趙紫陽) name from the Chinese people's hearts, the former premier has been selected as one of Time magazine's "Asian heroes." The choice was just, though somewhat unexpected.
Zhao absolutely deserves the honor. Along with Hu Yaobang (
Zhao was in charge of the Chinese economy for 10 years. The difficulties and obstacles of those years made it very hard to take the first step. But he managed to lay an unshakable foundation both for reform and for economic take-off.
Almost all the Chinese people, including the vast population of farmers, benefited from the reforms. He always considered the farmers, never sacrificing the weak in exchange for economic miracles.
Among senior Chinese leaders, the late Deng Xiaoping (鄧小平) was the only one who enjoyed even greater power. Unfortunately, Deng failed to uphold political reforms; he merely dabbled with the notion. Although he wholeheartedly supported economic reform, his hands were stained with the people's blood when he personally strangled political reform.
Unlike Deng, Zhao was involved in only good deeds. To ensure a relatively stable democratic development in China, he took the lead in drafting the Communist Party's very first political reform scheme.
During the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident, he advocated handling the student movement on the basis of democracy and the rule of law and opposed the military crackdown.
For his pains, Zhao paid a heavy price. He was deposed, humiliated and put under house arrest. He has continued, however, to call for the observance of the fundamental principles of republican government, including democracy, and the rule of law. At the age of 82, he refuses to this day to bow to violence.
Zhao's position in the Chinese people's hearts can never be erased -- not by Deng or anyone else. He consistently took into consideration all groups and always pursued the interests of the majority. From country folks to intellectuals, from young people outside the government system to the party heavyweights inside the system -- everyone knows what kind of person Zhao really is. He is the personification of China's reforms.
He also represents demo-cracy, the rule of law, rationalism and progress, as well as tolerance and unity in China.
By rightly praising Zhao, the international community has shown its concern for China's progress. This recognition of Zhao is a piece of good news that will encourage the Chinese people to strive for democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and progress. China cannot get enough of such timely support for reform, which is a great shot in the arm, as the old Chinese saying puts it, "charcoal sent in snowy weather" (雪中送炭).
The building of a modern democratic system in China, which accounts for one-fifth of the world's population, will be a Herculean task but one which will fundamentally change the balance between good and evil, as well as the balance between peace and terror.
Today, the task faces challenges. But with the support of the global forces of justice and the constant effort of the Chinese people, success is never beyond reach.
Bao Tong was a secretary to former Chinese premier Zhao Ziyang. This article was first printed in Open magazine.
Translated by Eddy Chang
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