Hua Guofeng
(Also called Hua Kuo-Feng; Hunan, 1921-Beijing, 2008) Chinese communist leader.Hua Guofeng began his political career in his native province of Hunan, of which he became deputy governor (1958-67).After the triumph of the "Cultural Revolution" instigated by Chairman Mao Zedong, he passed to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (1969).However, it was part of the openness line of Chu En-Lai and Deng Xiaoping, in opposition to the orthodoxy of Lin Piao.
Hua Guofeng
Driven by the growing weight of the reformists, in 1973 he acceded to the Politburo and in 1975 he was appointed Minister of Public Security and Vice President of the Government.After the deaths of Chu En-Lai and Mao Zedong, he succeeded the former as head of the Chinese government and the latter as chairman of the Communist Party (1976-81).
From both positions he collaborated with Deng Xiaoping in the elimination of the old leftist guard represented by Mao's widow and her "Gang of Four"; but he distanced himself from the pragmatic reformers by defending the preservation of communist ideology and attempting to present himself as Mao's heir.His attempt to challenge Deng for leadership ended up disgracing him: the new leaders gradually removed him from his positions in the government and in the party between 1979 and 1982, although he remained a member of the Central Committee.
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