Memo by Max Zins, 'Delegation of the Chinese Communist Party in France, November 23 - December 3, 1983'

Delegation of the Chinese Communist Party in France

November 23 - December 3, 1983

Memo M.Z.

11/23/83

Presentation of the delegation

The delegation includes eight people. Throughout its stay, it will be accompanied by the Chinese ambassador to France. He will attend the political interviews.

Composition:

1) Xi Zhong Xun, member of the PB, Secretary of the C.C.

2) Qiao Shi, deputy Secretary of the C.C, member of the C.C.

3) Li Shu Zhong, deputy member of the C.C., deputy Head of the foreign-policy section.

4) Wang Linjin, collaorator of the C.C.

5) Fan Minxin, Xi Zhong Xun’s secretary

6) Chen Jinchang, bodyguard

7) He Linfa, collaorator of the C.C. (protocol)

8) Wang Dadong, collaorator of the C.C. (interpreter) 

+ 

1) Cao Keqiang, ambassador

2) Wang Jin-Sheng, embassy employee

Importance of the delegation, significance of the visit 

The delegation’s visit is taking place in response to an invitation of the PCF delegation, headed by Georges Marchais, that was made during his visit to China in October 1982. That delegation marked the reestablishment of relations between the CCP and the PCF. The visit of the Chinese delegation is in fact scheduled in the cooperation programme of the two parties. 

The visit of the political delegation of the CCP headed by Xi Zhong Xun is the first visit made at this level by the CCP in Western Europe in response to the invitation of a political party for many years (apart from visits for Congresses). This highlights the importance that the CCP is attaching to its relations with the PCF, considering its position within the communist movement in the world. On that note, let us remember that the CCP had responded to an invitation of the Italian c.p., following Berlinguer’s visit in China, with a delegation of a substantially lower level, both in light of the official position of the Chinese leader heading it (Peng Chong, member of the P.B. and not a member of the Secretariat) than considering his actual role in the Party. (However, the head of the CCP delegation to the Congress of the Italian CP was Hu Qi Li, member of the P.B. and member of the Secretariat of the Central Committee). Let us add that the delegation that the CCP is sending to France at the invitation of the P.S. [Parti socialiste; French Socialist Party], in response to Mitterand’s trip to China (1981), not only comes after that of Xi Zhong Xun (it will start on December 5, 1983) but also is at a much lower level (it will be headed by Geng Biao, permanent member of the Commission of the Popular Assembly’s advisors). 

Brief biography of Xi Zhong Xun 

- Xi Zhong Xun is the right arm of the CCP’s Secretary-General, Hu Yaobang. He is in charge of a large array of domestic policy questions. He is notably in charge of the Party’s administration. 

- He was born in 1913. He joined the Party in 1927. He was a very young group leader of the guerrillas and played a significant role in welcoming survivors of the Long March (summer of 1935). He is therefore a legendary figure of the CCP, a “historical” character. 

- In the aftermath of World War II, he held important internal positions within the Party until 1962. He worked closely with men that would be the first victims of the “Great Leap Forward” (1959), the break with the Soviet Communist Party, then from 1966 onward the Cultural Revolution.

- He endured a total eclipse from the political scene between 1962 and 1978. The Cultural Revolution most likely was a difficult ordeal for him. 

- He reappeared at the forefront of the political stage in the aftermath of the fall of the Gang of Four (1976), which truly initiated a new era for China. 

- Since 1978, which is the year when, for the first time since the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, the CCP is showing clear signs of revival, Xi Zhong Xun keeps assuming new and ever increasing responsibilities.

 - For more details: see appendix by Alain Roux.

Brief background information on Qiao Shi 

In charge of the CCP’s foreign policy from 1982 to the summer of 1983. In that capacity played a role in the development of the CCP’s foreign policy. Has for a few months been one of the officials in charge of the Party’s internal administration. 

Note: the three comrades political officials that are in charge of the delegation are amongst the men and woman of the CCP that tend to play an increasingly important role. Lately, they have all assumed greater responsibilities than they had in the past. The CCP is thus sending us men and women that are representative of the new Party’s line, leaders anchored in the present and perhaps the future, not men of the past progressively losing their responsibilities. The current aspects of our policy will be of particular interest to them.