May 27, 1989
China Division, Asian Affairs Bureau [Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan], '"Important Speech" of Chen Yun, Chairman of the Party’s Central Advisory Commission, Concerning Student Demonstrations, Military’s Movements'
This document was made possible with support from The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Operation Room Information for Transmission
Subject: Chinese Student Demonstrations
Date and Time of Transmission: May 27 (Saturday), 07:10
Number of Pages for Transmission: 6
Transmitting Section: China Division, Asian Affairs Bureau
Message: "Important Speech" of Chen Yun, Chairman of the Party’s Central Advisory Commission, Concerning Student Demonstrations, Military’s Movements
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"Important Speech" by Chen Yun, Chairman of the Party’s Central Advisory Commission, Concerning the Student Demonstrations
China Central Television here, in an "Important News" report from 20:30 on the 26th, reported that a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Party’s Central Advisory Commission was held on the 26th and that Chairman Chen Yun gave an important speech. A summary of its main points is as follows:
1. The meeting communicated and studied the spirit of a series of instructions concerning the opposition of the Party Central Committee and the State Council to turmoil and concerning the maintaining of social tranquility.
2. The comrades who participated in the meeting stated that they would resolutely safeguard the speeches of Premier Li Peng and President Yang Shangkun given at the conference of party, government, and military cadres of the Party Central Committee and Beijing Party Committee and the measures, correctly decided and courageous, of the Party Central Committee and the State Council to suppress the turmoil and stabilize the situation.
3. The comrades who participated in the conference stated the following:
The Chinese Revolution, lasting over decades of struggle and spilling the blood of more than 20 million people, founded the People’s Republic of China. Victory was not something easily obtained. We are all old comrades who have toiled over decades for the country’s founding and its construction. If we do not resolutely subdue the turmoil created by some lawless elements, there will be no days of tranquility for the Party nor any days of tranquility for the country. We are facing not only the danger that the achievements of 10 years of reform will be lost but the danger that the achievements of the Revolution, obtained with the blood that was spilled, and the achievements of socialist construction will be lost. In such a critical time, we old comrades, together with all the Party’s comrades, will resolutely put an end to the plots and evil deeds of an extremely small number of elements who have created turmoil and resolutely struggle against them. We will certainly not negotiate with them. At the same time, we must strictly distinguish between that small number of persons and the vast majority of youths and students. We must resolutely safeguard the patriotism of the many youths and students. This is the responsibility of each of us old comrades. Our Party and government have the ability and means to bring the turmoil under control. On the basis of the common desire of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, we believe that they will properly resolve the present problem.
This turmoil by no means happened by chance. One of its main causes was because, for a considerable period of time, we were indifferent in teaching Marxism-Leninism and neglected the Party’s ideological education. It means that, in order to maintain social stability and unity, to ensure the construction of socialist modernization, and to successfully carry out socialist reform, we must by all means adhere to the Four Cardinal Principles.
The widespread patriotic passion of students is very valuable, and we must fully recognize it. Their demand, stirring the people, to eliminate corruption, is consistent with the desire of the Party and government. We must listen attentively to their voices and firmly improve the work of the Party and government.
We sincerely hope that the students, exalting the spirit of patriotism, paying attention to the whole situation, returning to school as soon as possible, and developing their talent, thereby take on the important task, which history has given them, of the Fatherland’s construction.
4. All who attended the meeting stated their sympathy and gratitude to the many laborers, farmers, intellectual elements, medical personnel, and machine operators for keeping to their posts and contributing to the deepening of organization, order, and reform, bringing turmoil under control, and contributing to social order. In addition, they stated their sympathy and gratitude to the commanders and soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who have kept strict discipline and actively carried out their martial law duties. Furthermore, they stated their sympathy and respect to the numerous commanders of the public security police and armed police.
5. Those who attended the meeting were Vice Chairmen Bo Yibo and Song Renqiong, Standing Committee Members Wang Ping, Wang Shoudao, Wu Xiuquan, Liu Lantao, Jiang Hua, Yang Dezhi, Xiao Ke, Yu Qiuli, Song Shilun, Zhang Jingfu, Lu Dingyi, Chen Pixian, Chen Xilian, Hu Qiaomu, Duan Junyi, Geng Biao, Ji Pengfei, Huang Zhen, and Kang Shi'en. Five members of the Standing Committee were absent due to illness or some other reason. (Embassy comment: Judging from the above list of those who attended, the five missing members are thought to be Li Yimang, Li Desheng, Zhang Aiping, Huang Hua, and Cheng Zihua.)
(End)
[…]
The Military’s Movements
On the 26th, our Embassy’s Nagano and others, traveling from 23:00 for approximately two hours by way of the East Third Ring Road, Liuli Bridge, South Third Ring Road, PLA General Hospital, Fengtai Railway Station, West Third Ring Road, Qinglong Bridge north of the Summer Palace, National Defense University, Academy of Military Sciences, the military garrison area on Xiangshan Road, Peking University, People’s University of China, Ministry of National Defense, North Third Ring Road, Sanyuan Bridge, and East Third Ring Road, confirmed at that time that there were no signs of preparations to send out the PLA or any troops dispatched.
Also, as for students and others during this time, there were gathered approximately 500 persons in the vicinity of the multi-level bridge to the southeast of the Jinglun Hotel, pickets of approximately 50 and 200 persons in two places in the vicinity of Liuli Bridge, a picket of approximately 50 persons in the vicinity of the Zizhu Garden crossing, approximately 300 persons in the vicinity of the main gate of the People’s University of China, and approximately 300 persons at the crossing next to Jingguang Center. Lights were out at the Ministry of National Defense and other military facilities.
(End)
[…]
Reactions and Reports from Various Places Regarding Premier Li Peng
The People’s Daily continued reporting on the 26th on reactions in various places to Li Peng’s important speech of the 19th is as follows:
Also, in initial outgoing telegram 3 (1) "Lanzhou Military Region Party Committee’s Standing Committee" is a mistake for "Jinan Military Region Party Committee’s Standing Committee." Please correct it.
The result is that there are now available reports from everywhere: the 30 provinces, the autonomous regions, and the direct-administered municipalities, as well as the seven military regions.
1. Military Relations
(1) Beijing Military Region Party Committee
Having studied and discussed the important speech, in solidarity with the Party Central Committee, State Council, and Central Military Commission, following its commands in all actions, the members have decided to carry out this correct decision. In particular, the units to implement martial law have through study and discussion made clear their own great responsibilities.
(2) Second Artillery Corps Party Standing Committee
Having studied the important speech, the members stated that they would resolutely safeguard the important speech and the State Council’s resolute martial law measures.
(3) Academy of Military Sciences Party Committee's Standing Committee
The result of study and discussion was the recognition that the objectives of this turmoil are the overthrow of the Communist Party and opposition to the socialist system.
(4) National Defense University Party Committee's Standing Committee
The result of the study and discussion was that the members unanimously stated that they would resolutely carry out the correct policy of the Party Central Committee, State Council, and Central Military Commission.
(5) Lanzhou Military Region Party Committee's Standing Committee (From the People’s Daily on the 24th)
The result of the study and discussion was that the members stated that the decision of the Party Central Committee and the State Council was a very correct and resolute one and that they would resolutely carry it out.
2. Relations between Provinces, Cities
(1) Shandong Provincial Party Committee
(a) Holding an enlarged meeting of the Standing Committee on the morning of the 20th, those attending unanimously recognized it as timely, resolute, and correct.
(b) On the afternoon of the 21st, the Party Committee held a meeting for the leading political, government, and military cadres for the entire province and ordered the carrying out of the spirit of the Central Committee’s directives.
(2) Beijing Party Committee
All cadres of the Municipal Party Committee and city government, as well as the major leading cadres of each district, county, university, and special school, directly heard the important speech of the 19th. They completely agreed to safeguard and carry out the correct decision of the Standing Committee of the Party Central Committee and to devote themselves fully to their responsibilities.
(3) Sichuan Provincial Party Committee
(a) On the morning of the 20th, the Provincial Party Committee held a meeting of the Standing Committee, conducted study and discussion of the important speech, and presented their plan to carry it out.
(b) On the afternoon of the same day, the Provincial Party Committee, with the participation of the major departments at all levels of the province, various departments of the Provincial Party Committee, the local organizations of the various democratic parties, and responsible persons of Chengdu and the universities and special schools of the Chengdu area, and with Yang Rudai representing the Standing Committee, called for the resolute safeguarding of the important speech.
(c) On the morning of the 21st, Yang demanded at a study session of Provincial Propaganda Department cadres that, together with the study of the important speech, propaganda units, news units, and persons from various circles undertake guidance and organizing work in regard to the students.
(4) Jilin Provincial Party Committee
On the 20th, the Provincial Party Committee held an enlarged session of the Standing Committee and studied and discussed the important speech. The participants were unanimous on fully safeguarding the important speech and called on all the people of Sichuan Province to study and implement it.
3. Central Party School
Sending a letter dated the 23rdto the Party Central Committee and stating that it would resolutely safeguard the correct decision for stopping the turmoil, the Central Party School pointed out that the minority who had participated in recent days in demonstrations and other turmoil in the name of the "Teachers and Students of the Party’s Central Party School" did not represent the Central Party School.
(End)
A summary of a speech made by Chen Yun, reports from the Japanese Embassy on the Chinese military's movements in Beijing, and reports from across China.
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