Unusual Removal of Officially Exhibited Zhao Ziyang Photo
A photo of Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, recently exhibited
at the news center of the 18th Party Congress, has been removed.
Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang were both former
General Secretaries of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Analysts think that the picture showing Zhao Ziyang was
exhibited to release the authorities' intention to reform.
The reason behind its removal was reportedly linked to
CCP conservative forces stirring up political troubles.
The CCP 18th Congress is expected to be held on Nov. 8th.
Various forms of relevant information have been released.
Among them, an old photo that shows Zhao Ziyang has
provoked great public attention and discussion.
The 18th Party Congress' news center exhibited this photo
on November 1.
It was taken at the CCP's 12th Congress in 1982.
In the centre of the picture were Hu Yaobang and Ye Jianying,
with Zhao Ziyang and Deng Xiaoping in the background.
Releasing of this photo was seen as signal given by
the authorities.
The public speculates that it may signal a ban lifting and
vindication of Zhao Ziyang or the "6.4 student movement".
However, Japan's media has reported that the picture was
removed two days later and replaced with photos of Hu Yaobang.
Shen Yuan, democrat in the U.S., thinks that the removal
was definitely not because of error in official censoring.
In fact, it mirrored the CCP infighting, to some extent.
The Party's conservative forces are still making trouble, he remarks.
Shen Yuan: "This issue is fairly unusual for the CCP.
As its 18th Congress nears, the Party's pre-given policy
has already been decided.
But it's really rare seeing such things occur in the press
that it controls.」
Japan's Jiji Press quoted an insider from the CCP.
It said that the pictures exhibited at the news center were all
selected by Xinhua News Agency and officially censored.
The insider analyzed that the authorities attempted to release
some intention through exhibiting the old photo of Zhao Ziyang.
However, the picture created bigger impact than would-be
expected and was therefore removed.
Hu Dehua, the third son of Hu Yaobang, told Deutsche Welle.
The photo on display seemed to show the CCP no longer
regards Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang as enemies.
Hu Dehua doesn't believe that there are more interpretations.
This is because Xi Jinping has not yet shown
any firm determination to make political reform.
Zhang Jian, US Committee chairman of Democratic Party
of China: "They exhibited the photo of Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, which might drop hints to the public.
That is, the CCP's politics may tend to be more liberal
after its 18th Congress.」
Zhang Jian remarks that by displaying this photo, the CCP
intended to create a political illusion to the Chinese.
However, no matter who leads the CCP, he cannot actually
control and fundamentally change the CCP system, Zhang says.
Zhang Jian: "The CCP has been very infamous for
its empty promises and illusions.
It always claimed, '『Now I'm going to do …'
It is always telling that it’s in preparation and
might grant you some little benefits one day.」
Rumors have spread that after its 18th Congress, the CCP
authorities might reduce sensitivity on 「6.4 Incident」.
And that the victims might be compensated in some ways.
Cai Guihua,U.S.-based democrat, says that the CCP has
owed too many blood debts to compensate at all.
Therefore, the vindications that it alleges are just for show.
Cai Guihua: "If it only claims vindication without punishment,
such vindications are just for show and cannot be put into practice."
When the Zhao Ziyang photo was put on display,
the Beijing News interviewed Zhao's daughter Wang Yannan.
Meanwhile, the Beijing-based Economic Observer newspaper
published on the front page an article of Hu Deping.
Hu Deping, the son of Hu Yaobang, appealed to the regime
to deepen political reform.
Sina's Weibo microblog service, unusually, unblocked
the search keyword 「Zhao Ziyang」.
