Deng Xiaoping’s suppression of the Democracy movement in 1989, and his controversial political maneuverings in doing so was proving that China was still showing signs of its rocky past. Many compared his actions during the time period to those of the Emperor Dowager Cixi’s suppression of Emperor Guangxu’s ambitious reform program of 1898. Deng’s rash actions led to even more protest and rioting from the younger generations, as well as well known reformers and revolutionaries, who had chose to criticize the regime from the safety of foreign countries. The events of 1989 seriously weakened Deng’s position, and he spent much of that year rounding up the pro-democracy protesters and rendering them powerless. Many of these protesters were sent to labor camps, jailed, or even executed. In an attempt to regain support for his regime, Deng, in 1992, took the bold initiative to use all of his remaining prestige to revitalize the the economic validity and viability of the special economic zones in China’s southeast.
The next big move made by Deng was to establish Shanghai as the “dragon head” of the Yangzi River region, and open it to foreign investment.The new trade region resembled the range of treaty ports at the peak of China’s growth in the late 19th century. Deng then appointed Jiang Zemin to lead the communist party in in 1989, using him in a puppet like manner to disarm the critics of fast growth, and to endorse the 1992 southern tour and issue a new version of Deng’s economic goals for the nation. In 1993 Jiang was rewarded for his loyalty to the party and received two new appointments as head of the Military Affairs Commission, and as president of the Chinese Republic. Deng also awarded Zhu Ronji with a role as one of the architects of of Chinese economic growth, making him a vice premier, and governor of the Bank of China. As the Chinese economy began to overheat in the early 1990’s, Zhu sought to combat this by reducing chinese GDP growth. Despite Zhu’s policies, Deng saw that the economy continued to dramatically grow.
In an attempt to ratify itself as an emerging great power, the leadership in China had seized on the goal to make Peking the site of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. To impress foreign olympic delegates, special efforts were made to make China more visually appealing. These efforts included actions like keeping homeless beggars out of sight, and training storekeepers on posture and friendliness. Despite their exaggerated efforts, Peking was not selected to host 2000 Summer Olympic Games, which came as a harsh blow to the nation.
As the mainland struggled internally, Taiwan and Hong Kong continued to make changes towards more democratic governments that Deng Xiaoping had hoped for, for all of China. In these regions, pro-Chinese communist candidates had almost all been defeated in the elections. Although pro-democratic delegates were making steady headway in Taiwan and Hong Kong, their actions would soon be suppressed by the Communist Party once it could control the situation on its own terms.
In 1994 China shifted the basis of its rhetoric by branding the United States as the influence behind the pro-democracy wave inside China. They stamped the US with the label of being a “hegemonist power” an abusive title previously given to the Soviet Union. However, these claims by China were not backed up, as most of the issues revolving around China’s growth as a country stemmed from the nation itself.
In 1997, Deng Xiaoping, who had been mostly dormant in his actions the past few years finally passed away. The reaction to his death among the people was fairly silent, and the government even had to encourage them to mourn their less. To the people, Deng had been a non factor in Chinese politics for several years. Jiang Zemin assumed control after the passing of Deng, and he sought to back the idea that Deng had been a mere sideline player in the Chinese government in recent years. Jiang Zemin came into power in perfect timing to see Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese control, and used this time to bask in the limelight.
China finally seemed to be in support of a more open stance under Jiang, as his campaign took steps to return the freedom to grow and flourish to the people.
(Au: KR)
