Zhao Ziyang (
Zhao, 85, went into shock related to a lung ailment on Friday evening and was given emergency treatment, Hong Kong-based activist Frank Lu said in a telephone interview.
Lu had said earlier in the week that Zhao was hospitalized for lung problems, citing Zhao's daughter, Wang Yannan.
"He is still in a deep coma," said Lu, who said he had spoken to Wang yesterday morning. "His condition is unchanged."
China's official Xinhua News Agency reported later yesterday that Zhao's condition had stabilized -- an extremely rare disclosure by the government, which usually refuses to respond to requests for information about the ousted leader.
"Zhao is still receiving continued careful treatment at the moment," said the brief report carried on Xinhua's English language news wire.
There was no corresponding Chinese-language bulletin, suggesting that the Chinese government published the report for foreign consumption only.
Chinese newspapers and broadcast media made no mention yesterday of Zhao's illness.
"How is he? We have no way of hearing about his condition," said Ding Zilin (
"We are very concerned about him. We hope he can make it through this critical period," said Ding, a retired academic whose son was killed in the crackdown.
The leadership's reluctance to let the Chinese public know about Zhao's condition is a sign of Communist Party unease about his lasting potency as a political symbol and fears that his death could spark widespread discontent.
Andrew Nathan, a specialist on Chinese politics at Columbia University, said Chinese leaders remember how the death of Hu Yaobang (
"The death of Zhao could well become a triggering incident or a spark that would -- just like the death of Hu -- create an opportunity and an emotional focus point for all kinds of dissatisfied elements to express themselves and to congeal into a larger force," Nathan said. "He's seen as a symbol of the demand for democracy."
Zhao has spent more than 15 years under house arrest since he was purged from the party leadership following accusations of sympathizing with hunger strikers in Tiananmen Square who for seven weeks had demanded democratic reforms and the resignation of then Premier Li Peng (李鵬).
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday said it is closely monitoring developments in Venezuela, and would continue to cooperate with democratic allies and work together for regional and global security, stability, and prosperity. The remarks came after the US on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was later flown to New York along with his wife. The pair face US charges related to drug trafficking and alleged cooperation with gangs designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the allegations. The ministry said that it is closely monitoring the political and economic situation
UNRELENTING: China attempted cyberattacks on Taiwan’s critical infrastructure 2.63 million times per day last year, up from 1.23 million in 2023, the NSB said China’s cyberarmy has long engaged in cyberattacks against Taiwan’s critical infrastructure, employing diverse and evolving tactics, the National Security Bureau (NSB) said yesterday, adding that cyberattacks on critical energy infrastructure last year increased 10-fold compared with the previous year. The NSB yesterday released a report titled Analysis on China’s Cyber Threats to Taiwan’s Critical Infrastructure in 2025, outlining the number of cyberattacks, major tactics and hacker groups. Taiwan’s national intelligence community identified a large number of cybersecurity incidents last year, the bureau said in a statement. China’s cyberarmy last year launched an average of 2.63 million intrusion attempts per day targeting Taiwan’s critical
‘SLICING METHOD’: In the event of a blockade, the China Coast Guard would intercept Taiwanese ships while its navy would seek to deter foreign intervention China’s military drills around Taiwan this week signaled potential strategies to cut the nation off from energy supplies and foreign military assistance, a US think tank report said. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) conducted what it called “Justice Mission 2025” exercises from Monday to Tuesday in five maritime zones and airspace around Taiwan, calling them a warning to “Taiwanese independence” forces. In a report released on Wednesday, the Institute for the Study of War said the exercises effectively simulated blocking shipping routes to major port cities, including Kaohsiung, Keelung and Hualien. Taiwan would be highly vulnerable under such a blockade, because it
UNDER WAY: The contract for advanced sensor systems would be fulfilled in Florida, and is expected to be completed by June 2031, the Pentagon said Lockheed Martin has been given a contract involving foreign military sales to Taiwan to meet what Washington calls “an urgent operational need” of Taiwan’s air force, the Pentagon said on Wednesday. The contract has a ceiling value of US$328.5 million, with US$157.3 million in foreign military sales funds obligated at the time of award, the Pentagon said in a statement. “This contract provides for the procurement and delivery of 55 Infrared Search and Track Legion Enhanced Sensor Pods, processors, pod containers and processor containers required to meet the urgent operational need of the Taiwan air force,” it said. The contract’s work would be
RSS