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Xu Jiatun, Chinese Official Who Opposed Tiananmen Crackdown, Dies at 100 Xu Jiatun, Chinese Official Who Opposed Tiananmen Crackdown, Dies at 100
(1 day later)
BEIJING — Xu Jiatun, a senior Communist Party official who opposed the Chinese military’s suppression of the pro-democracy demonstrations around Tiananmen Square in 1989 and fled to the United States the following year, died on June 29 in Chino Hills, Calif. He was 100.BEIJING — Xu Jiatun, a senior Communist Party official who opposed the Chinese military’s suppression of the pro-democracy demonstrations around Tiananmen Square in 1989 and fled to the United States the following year, died on June 29 in Chino Hills, Calif. He was 100.
The cause was kidney and heart failure, his family said.The cause was kidney and heart failure, his family said.
Mr. Xu’s death, like his life, was marked by politics. As punishment for his flight in 1990 he was expelled from the party. His wish to return home was never granted, said his son, Xu Jian, speaking by phone from Los Angeles. Most of Mr. Xu’s family remained in China, including his wife, Gu Yiping.Mr. Xu’s death, like his life, was marked by politics. As punishment for his flight in 1990 he was expelled from the party. His wish to return home was never granted, said his son, Xu Jian, speaking by phone from Los Angeles. Most of Mr. Xu’s family remained in China, including his wife, Gu Yiping.
Photographs on the websites of overseas Chinese news media showed flowers sent by some prominent Chinese political families, including the family of Zhao Ziyang, the liberal former premier and general secretary of the party with whom Mr. Xu was friendly.Photographs on the websites of overseas Chinese news media showed flowers sent by some prominent Chinese political families, including the family of Zhao Ziyang, the liberal former premier and general secretary of the party with whom Mr. Xu was friendly.
But in China, his death was not officially recognized. A death notice was published on the website of Caixin magazine, then taken down.But in China, his death was not officially recognized. A death notice was published on the website of Caixin magazine, then taken down.
In a eulogy, Ho Pin, the New York-based publisher of Mirror Media Group, said party leaders refused Mr. Xu’s request to return while alive but sent a message that he could be interred in China.In a eulogy, Ho Pin, the New York-based publisher of Mirror Media Group, said party leaders refused Mr. Xu’s request to return while alive but sent a message that he could be interred in China.
Xu Jiatun was born on March 10, 1916, one of five children of a low-level government official and a mother who did not work outside the home, Xu Jian said.Xu Jiatun was born on March 10, 1916, one of five children of a low-level government official and a mother who did not work outside the home, Xu Jian said.
He joined the Communist Party in 1938, holding government posts in Communist-controlled areas. A decade later he joined the China Eastern Field Army as a political commissar. After the 1949 revolution he was a party official in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.He joined the Communist Party in 1938, holding government posts in Communist-controlled areas. A decade later he joined the China Eastern Field Army as a political commissar. After the 1949 revolution he was a party official in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province.
Mr. Xu and his wife, who died in Nanjing in 2004, had five daughters and three sons, nine grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.Mr. Xu and his wife, who died in Nanjing in 2004, had five daughters and three sons, nine grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
He suffered during the Cultural Revolution like many officials but later but later became party secretary of Jiangsu, making his name for building capitalist-style local businesses. He suffered during the Cultural Revolution like many officials but later became party secretary of Jiangsu, making his name for building capitalist-style local businesses.
In a meeting in the early 1980s, Deng Xiaoping suggested that Mr. Xu continue his work, even though he was old enough to retire, said Kam Kin-yat, a friend of the family whose father, a journalist at the Hong Kong-based, pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po newspaper, was a political ally of Mr. Xu.In a meeting in the early 1980s, Deng Xiaoping suggested that Mr. Xu continue his work, even though he was old enough to retire, said Kam Kin-yat, a friend of the family whose father, a journalist at the Hong Kong-based, pro-Beijing Wen Wei Po newspaper, was a political ally of Mr. Xu.
But other officials in Jiangsu opposed that and instead, in 1983, Mr. Xu was appointed head of Xinhua News Agency in Hong Kong and thus Beijing’s representative in what was then a colony, Mr. Kam said.But other officials in Jiangsu opposed that and instead, in 1983, Mr. Xu was appointed head of Xinhua News Agency in Hong Kong and thus Beijing’s representative in what was then a colony, Mr. Kam said.
Mr. Xu told the Hong Kong television journalist Ida Chan that in Hong Kong, he dined regularly with people of all backgrounds, including anti-Communists and tycoons, and grew to realize the depth of fears over the territory’s return to China in 1997.Mr. Xu told the Hong Kong television journalist Ida Chan that in Hong Kong, he dined regularly with people of all backgrounds, including anti-Communists and tycoons, and grew to realize the depth of fears over the territory’s return to China in 1997.
That was in contrast to many Chinese officials, who believed people in Hong Kong were eager to throw off the yoke of colonialism.That was in contrast to many Chinese officials, who believed people in Hong Kong were eager to throw off the yoke of colonialism.
Like Mr. Zhao, Mr. Xu hoped for a peaceful resolution to the 1989 democracy movement and was publicly sympathetic to Hong Kong residents who supported the demonstrators. But hundreds, possibly thousands, of Chinese protesters were killed. Mr. Xu, 73, asked to retire.Like Mr. Zhao, Mr. Xu hoped for a peaceful resolution to the 1989 democracy movement and was publicly sympathetic to Hong Kong residents who supported the demonstrators. But hundreds, possibly thousands, of Chinese protesters were killed. Mr. Xu, 73, asked to retire.
Instead, he was removed from office, Mr. Kam said, and his personal papers at the Xinhua offices were examined.Instead, he was removed from office, Mr. Kam said, and his personal papers at the Xinhua offices were examined.
One evening in April of 1990, Mr. Xu “went for a walk” in Shenzhen, where he was awaiting news of his fate, crossing the border into Hong Kong and from there traveling to the United States, Mr. Kam said.One evening in April of 1990, Mr. Xu “went for a walk” in Shenzhen, where he was awaiting news of his fate, crossing the border into Hong Kong and from there traveling to the United States, Mr. Kam said.
Mr. Xu made clear to American officials that he would not trade information in exchange for asylum.Mr. Xu made clear to American officials that he would not trade information in exchange for asylum.
“They got nothing for him,’’ Mr. Kam said. “They did it out of humanitarian grounds.”“They got nothing for him,’’ Mr. Kam said. “They did it out of humanitarian grounds.”
“The reasons he kept his secrets were, firstly, he promised the party he would when he left China; secondly, he hoped he could protect his family that way,” Mr. Ho said. . “The reasons he kept his secrets were, firstly, he promised the party he would when he left China; secondly, he hoped he could protect his family that way,” Mr. Ho said.
“But a deeper reason was his faith as a party member,” Mr. Ho said. “He always believed that the party’s ideals were right, but that it made mistakes.”“But a deeper reason was his faith as a party member,” Mr. Ho said. “He always believed that the party’s ideals were right, but that it made mistakes.”