Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 February 2009
The military is a key actor in the political life of many nations. Across the developing and socialist worlds, the armed forces have served as far more than guarantors of national security as they sustain civilian elites in power or often seize it themselves. In China there has been a long tradition of military rule during much of the modern era–one need think only of Li Hongzhang and the Beiyang Army, the Republic's first president General Yuan Shikai, the warlords of the 1920s, or Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek and the Guominjun (the twin sibling of the ruling Guomindang). In post-1949 China former and active-duty military officers (as well as the military as an institution) have been central actors in the political life of the nation, effectively administering the country from 1949–52 and 1967–73. However, this article is not so much about the militarization of politics in China as about the politicization of the military.
1. See, for example, Deng Xiaoping's speech to martial law troops on 9 June: “Deng Xiaoping tongzhi zai jiejian shoudu jieyan buduijun yishangganbu shide jianghua,” in xuanchuanbu, Zhong-gong zhongyang (ed.), Xuanchuan dongtai: 1989 xuanbianben (Beijing: Renmin ribao chubanshe, 1991), pp. 109–115Google Scholar.
2. One could view the 4 June PLA intervention as “professional” in that the army acted at the behest of the highest organs of state and the military (the State Council and Central Military Commission), and–as the Chinese authorities have argued–the survival of the Chinese state was at stake. What could be more professional than to ensure national security as directed by the commander-in-chief and other members of the CMC? An alternative interpretation would have it that the Party/state and military were controlled by individuals who constituted a factional grouping, and the PLA intervened in order to sustain this group–rather than the institutions–in power.
3. The political campaigns in the PLA have been paralleled by efforts to increase the stature of the PLA in civilian society via the “national defence education movement” (guofang jiaoyu yundong). Similar to the “Learn from the PLA” campaign of 1964, this movement propagates martial values in society, patriotism, reminiscences of past wars, and military readiness.
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38. Their rightist labels were not removed until the GPD promulgated Order No. 55 of 1978 exonerating a total of 11,039 persecuted individuals. Ibid. p. 125.
39. See ibid. p. 137.
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41. This process began immediately following Lushan and Peng's rebuke by Mao. In late August an expanded CMC meeting was convened to denounce the “anti-Party crimes” and “bourgeois military line” of the Peng Dehuai clique (this “verdict” was reversed by the Third Plenum of the 11 th Central Committee in 1978). See Weiben, Sun (ed.), Zhongguo gongchangdang dangwu gongzuo da zidian, p. 355Google Scholar; and Guanyu xin shiqi jundui zhengzhi gongzuo dejueding, p. 103.
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44. Ibid. p. 180. A neibu history of the PLA indicates that this conference and the emerging document were under the “pernicious leftist influence” of Lin Biao. The decisions of the conference, including the purge of Tan Zheng, were officially repudiated by the GPD on 24 April 1978. See Guanyu xin shiqi jundui zhengzhi gongzuo de jueding, pp. 108–113 for this repudiation. Also see junshikexueyuan, Zhongguo renmin jiefangjun (ed.), Zhongguo renmin jiefangjun dashiji (Beijing: Junshi kexueyuan chubanshe, 1983), p. 365Google Scholar.
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52. Ibid.
53. According to the current deputy secretary-general of the GPD, the purges in the PLA after Lin's death were limited in number and generally restricted to high levels. Interview, 21 June 1991.
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100. Commentator. “Uphold the Party's absolute leadership, ensure that our army is always politically up to standard,” Jiefangjunbao, 1 October 1989, in FBIS–CHI, 18 October 1989, pp. 36–39.
101. Ibid. p. 37.
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122. Xinhua Domestic Service, 6 February 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 7 February 1990, pp. 19–20.
123. Ibid. p. 19.
124. See Beijing Domestic Service, 23 January 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 26 January 1990, p. 30; Xinhua, 24 February 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 26 February 1990, p. 26; and Xinhua Domestic Service, 24 February 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 1 March 1990, pp. 30–31.
125. See Xuge, Li, “Implement the ‘summary’ closely in light of realities, make sure that our troops manage to withstand the ‘three tests',” Jiefangjunbao, 8 March 1990, in FBIS-CHI, 30 03 1990, p. 41Google Scholar.
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127. Ibid. p. 30.
128. Commentator, “Hard and fast measures are necessary for theoretical study among cadres,” Jiefangjunbao, 27 June 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 18 July 1990, p. 23.
129. Yi, Luo, “The gun should be put firmly in the hands of people loyal to the Party,” Jiefangjunbao, 13 February 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 2 03 1990, p. 24Google Scholar.
130. Chenghan, Wang, “Uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the army with great firmness,” Jiefangjunbao, 18 December 1989, in FBIS–CHI, 15 02 1990, p. 38Google Scholar.
131. See Haotian, Chi, “Strive to raise the leadership level”; Gao Aisu, “When meeting with leading comrades of troops in Shanxi, Jiang Zemin stresses absolute Party leadership over the army,” Jiefangjunbao, 27 January 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 13 02 1990, p. 14Google Scholar; Xuan, Bai, “Unwaveringly uphold the Party's leadership of the army,” Jiefangjunbao, 19 December 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 2 02 1990, pp. 17–19Google Scholar; and Lixing, Wan, “The organs which control the army of the CCP,” Dangdai, No. 7 (6 01 1990), in FBIS–CHI, 9 January 1990, pp. 20–22Google Scholar.
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133. “PLA general political department issues circular, urging all military units to study and implement the spirit of central leaders’ inscriptions and carry out activities of learning from Lei Feng in a deep-going and down-to-earth manner,” Jiefangjunbao, 6 March 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 29 March 1990, pp. 32–33.
134. See Hao, Fan and Hua, Qin, “Qin Jiwei contributes article to first issue of Guofang, stressing need to strengthen national defence education and promote modernization of national defence,” Jiefangjunbao, 30 December 1990, in FBIS-CHI, 6 02 1990, p. 10Google Scholar.
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136. Henggao, Ding, “Earnestly strengthen and improve ideological and political work; ensure that the armed forces will always remain politically qualified,” Jiefangjunbao, 3 March 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 30 03 1990, p. 13Google Scholar.
137. For detailed discussions of this process see Organizational Department of the Political Department of the PLA General Staff Department (ed.), Dangwei jianshe tanyao (Beijing: Changzheng chubanshe, 1990Google Scholar; and Organizational Department of the Political Department of the PLA General Staff Department (ed.), Xin shiqi dang zhibu shuji “liu hui” gaiyao (Beijing: Changzheng chubanshe, 1991)Google Scholar.
138. See “PLA General Political Department promulgates ‘programme on strengthening and improving ideological and political education for soldiers’,” Jiefangjunbao, 12 March 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 11 April 1990, pp. 31–33.
139. Ibid. p. 32.
140. See Aisu, Gao, “At discussion with comrades attending enlarged meeting of Beijing military regional Party committee, Yang Baibing urges leaders at all levels to work harder and do an even better job in army-building,” Jiefangjunbao, 22 June 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 9 07 1990, pp. 36–38Google Scholar; Xinhua Domestic Service, 31 July 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 1 August 1990, p. 24.
141. Xinhua Domestic Service, 21 November 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 27 November 1990, pp. 39–40.
142. Ibid.; and Commentator, “Adhere to the principle of'building Party branches at the company level'-on strengthening grass-roots Party branch-building,” Jiefangjunbao, 8 November 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 27 November 1990, pp. 40–41.
143. PLA General Political Department and Nanjing Military Region Political Department's Joint Investigation Group, “Display Wang Keqin's spirit of fraternal love and mutual help; preserve and develop good relations between officers and men,” Jiefangjunbao, 25 July 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 22 August 1990, pp. 22–28.
144. See, for example, Xinhua Domestic Service, 18 May 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 21 May 1990, pp. 40–41; Commentator, “Unwaveringly put moral education in first place,” Jiefangjunbao, 27 July 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 16 August 1990, pp. 29–30; Zhou Chuantong, “The requirement of being politically qualified should be carried out to the letter,” Jiefangjunbao, 20 September 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 11 October 1990, pp. 26–27.
145. Min, Zhou and Bo, Ru, “First all-army forum on theory concerning psychological warfare against hostile forces,” Jiefangjunbao, 12 July 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 2 08 1990, p. 23–24Google Scholar.
146. Ibid. p. 23.
147. “Ba baozheng zhengzhishang yongyuan hege zuowei yixiang genben renwu; yitan jiaqiang wojun zhengzhi jianshe,” Jiefangjunbao, 10 April 1990, p. 1.
148. “Xuyu buke fangsong ‘shengmingxian',” Jiefangjunbao, 13 April 1990, pp. 1,4.
149. “Yongyuan ba wojun zhiyu dang de juidui lingdao zhixia,” Jiefangjunbao, 18 April 1990, pp. 1, 4.
150. “Shanghao zhengzhi jiaoyu de zhuke,” Jiefangjunbao, 22 April 1990, pp. 1, 3.
151. “Jianchi gaojun de sixiang, daode fazhan,” Jiefangjunbao, 27 April 1990, pp. 1,
152. “Jianchi decai jianbei, zhuzhong zhengzhi biaojun,” Jiefangjunbao, 12 May 1990, pp. 1, 4.
153. “Renzhen zhuahao fanfushi douzheng,” Jiefangjunbao, 19 May 1990, p. 1.
154. “Baozheng he fazhan lianghao de nei-wai guanxi,” Jiefangjunbao, 22 May 1990, p. 1.
155. “Shiyong biandengfa, tigao xiaolu,” Jiefangjunbao, 24 May 1990, pp. 1, 4.
156. “Zai jiaqiang de qiantixia gaijin zai duancheng de jichushang chuangxin,” Jiefangjunbao, 28 May 1990, p. 1.
157. For further discussion of the changed political climate see Shambaugh, David, “China in 1990: The year of damage control,” Asian Survey (01 1991), pp. 101–114Google Scholar.
158. Bing, Lo, “A heavy storm in the high army hierarchy,” Zhengming, No. 155 (1 09 1990), in FBIS–CHI, 6 September 1990, pp. 39–40Google Scholar.
159. Ibid. p. 40; also see Bing, Luo, “Defence minister has courageously defeated generals of the Yang family,” Kaifang, No. 44 (15 08 1990), in FBIS–CHI, 23 August 1990, pp. 35–37Google Scholar.
160. Da, Qi, “Young military officers boycott Yang Baibing,” Dangdai, 20 October 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 25 10 1990, pp. 30–32Google Scholar. On this point see also Jencks, , “Civil-military relations in China,” especially pp. 24–27Google Scholar.
161. Personal communications with sources in Beijing, summer 1991.
162. This is apparently not only the case among elements of the retired High Command, but particularly among younger officers. Interviews with officers in the Beijing Military Region, 26 May and 23 June 1991.
163. See, for example, Xun, Nan, “Massive military purges after 4 June incident,” MingBao, 22 October 1990, in FBIS–CHI, 22 10 1990, p. 29Google Scholar.
164. Chenghua, Li and Rujin, Xu, “Xin de xingshi-xin de bufa,” Renmin ribao, 3 10 1990, p. 1Google Scholar; also translated in FBIS–CHI, 18 October 1990, pp. 39–42.
165. See “Baozheng dang dui jundui de juedui lingdao: Yang Baibing tan quanjun jicha gongzuo de genben renwu,” Jiefangjunbao, 1 December 1990.
166. See “Quanjun keke yueyue zuohao junshi gongzuo: Jiang Zemin zai zongcan gongzuo huiyi shang yaoqiu,” Jiefangjunbao, 5 December 1990; and “Zhichi zhandou lige zhun, shixian junshi shang guoying,” Jiefangjunbao, 5 December 1990.
167. See “New rules on PLA control,” South China Morning Post, 2 January 1991. 168. They are classified “secret, carefully protect” and are disseminated by the GPD in a pocket-size edition to all officers.
169. Of the many articles in the Liberation Army Daily on this aspect see in particular “Zhichi dang dui jundui juedui lingdao shi wojun de genben yuanze,” Jiefangjunbao, 17 April 1991.
170. See, for example, “Baozheng jiceng dang zhibu zuzhi jianquan,” Jiefangjunbao, 2 February 1991; “Renzhen xuexi he guanche luoshi ‘zhenggong tiaojian',” Jiefangjunbao, 23 February 1991; and Wangwen, Luo, “Quan jun geji dangwei fahui hexin lingdao zuoyong,” Renmin ribao, 24 06 1991, p. 1Google Scholar.
171. Among the numerous leadership speeches, documents and declarations on this score see Baibing, Yang, “Dang de juedui lingdao shi women de jian jun zhihunli jun zhiben,” Renmin ribao, 24 06 1991, p. 5Google Scholar.
172. See “Yang Baibing on importance of ideological work for army facing ‘severe tests',” Summary of World Broadcasts–Far East, FE/1177, B2/1.
173. Ibid.
174. “Jiang Zemin urges army to conscientiously implement Mao Zedong's military thought,” Renmin ribao, 11 September 1991, ibid. B2/2.