Obituary: Li Peng, China’s technocrat ‘communist warrior’ who rose to the top in chaotic times
- Li became premier as conservatives and reformists fought over country’s direction in the 1980s and 90s, and oversaw Tiananmen Square crackdown
- A Soviet-trained engineer, Li also pushed for approval for the mammoth Three Gorges Dam project to harness the Yangtze River
Late premiers Li Peng and Zhou Enlai have come to occupy two very different places in the Chinese consciousness, one hugely controversial, the other a national hero.
While Zhou remains a cherished leader to most Chinese, Li will forever be remembered for his controversial role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown – sealed by his appearance on national television on May 20, 1989, angrily declaring martial law in Beijing.
The obituary heaped lavish praise on the former premier, crediting him for standing firm in 1989 and making a great contribution to China’s reforms despite the country’s isolation after Tiananmen.
In describing the 1989 crackdown, the obituary said the premier, who had the support of party elders including paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, had played an “important role”.
“Under the resolute support of veteran revolutionary leaders represented by comrade Deng Xiaoping, comrade Li Peng unequivocally stood with most of the comrades of the Politburo, taking decisive measures to stop the turmoil, cracking down on the counter-revolutionary riot and stabilising the domestic situation,” the obituary said.
