Li Rui (Communist Party of China)
Encyclopedia
Li Rui is a retired politician
of the People's Republic of China
from the ruling Communist Party
and latterly a writer and vocal advocate of democratic reform
in China.
in the late 1930s. Within a few years he first suffered revolutionary persecution there.
In the mid-1950s, Li was briefly one of Mao Zedong
's secretaries, giving him access to the inner circle of China’s ruling elite, but his criticisms of the Great Leap Forward
led to his denunciation and exile. He later declared that Mao was dismissive of the suffering and death caused by his policies: "Mao's way of thinking and governing was terrifying. He put no value on human life. The deaths of others meant nothing to him."
Li helped to negotiate the establishment of Joint Factory 718, set up in Dashanzi
in cooperation with East Germany as an extension of the "Socialist Unification Plan" of military-industrial cooperation between the Soviet Union
and the young Chinese communist state. From 1957 he was its inaugural director.
Li was later deputy head of the Organisation Department
of the Communist Party.
He was a vice minister of the Ministry of Water Conservation
, and later that, at the time of its planning, he was opposed to the Yangtze Three Gorges Project
.
In November 2004, the CCP's Propaganda Department banned Li from being published in the media.
In 2005, on hearing of the death of Zhao Ziyang
, Li returned to Beijing from overseas and immediately went to the former general secretary’s home to pay his last respects.
In 2006, he was a lead signatory to an open letter condemning the state's closure of the investigative newspaper Bingdian
.
In 2007, ahead of the 17th Party Congress
, together with retired academic Xie Tao, he published articles calling for the CPC to become a European-style socialist party, remarks were that were condemned by the Party propaganda apparatus.
In October 2010, Li was the lead signatory to an open letter to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
, calling for much greater press freedom
(see English text http://cmp.hku.hk/2010/10/13/8035/).
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
from the ruling Communist Party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
and latterly a writer and vocal advocate of democratic reform
Chinese democracy movement
The Chinese democracy movement refers to a series of loosely organized political movements in the People's Republic of China against the continued one-party rule by the Communist Party. One such movement began during the Beijing Spring in 1978 and was taken up again in the Tiananmen Square...
in China.
Early career
Li was an early and enthusiastic member of the Party, having trekked to the Communist base at Yan'anYan'an
Yan'an , is a prefecture-level city in the Shanbei region of Shaanxi province in China, administering several counties, including Zhidan County , which served as the Chinese communist capital before the city of Yan'an proper took that role....
in the late 1930s. Within a few years he first suffered revolutionary persecution there.
In the mid-1950s, Li was briefly one of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
's secretaries, giving him access to the inner circle of China’s ruling elite, but his criticisms of the Great Leap Forward
Great Leap Forward
The Great Leap Forward of the People's Republic of China was an economic and social campaign of the Communist Party of China , reflected in planning decisions from 1958 to 1961, which aimed to use China's vast population to rapidly transform the country from an agrarian economy into a modern...
led to his denunciation and exile. He later declared that Mao was dismissive of the suffering and death caused by his policies: "Mao's way of thinking and governing was terrifying. He put no value on human life. The deaths of others meant nothing to him."
Li helped to negotiate the establishment of Joint Factory 718, set up in Dashanzi
Dashanzi
Dashanzi is a 1 square kilometer area in the Chaoyang district of Beijing, northeast of the city center. It lies along the Airport Expressway between the 4th and 5th Ring Roads, south of the Dashanzi Qiao flyover and opposite Wangjing.Most of the area is made up of an industrial park...
in cooperation with East Germany as an extension of the "Socialist Unification Plan" of military-industrial cooperation between the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the young Chinese communist state. From 1957 he was its inaugural director.
Li was later deputy head of the Organisation Department
Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee
The Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee is a department of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee that controls staffing positions within the CPC....
of the Communist Party.
He was a vice minister of the Ministry of Water Conservation
Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China
The Ministry of Water Resources of the People's Republic of China is the executive government agency of the Central People's Government responsible for managing the water resources in China....
, and later that, at the time of its planning, he was opposed to the Yangtze Three Gorges Project
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
.
Dissent
At the 16th Party Congress in 2002, Li caused a stir by calling for political reform. He began writing widely.In November 2004, the CCP's Propaganda Department banned Li from being published in the media.
In 2005, on hearing of the death of Zhao Ziyang
Zhao Ziyang
Zhao Ziyang was a high-ranking politician in the People's Republic of China . He was the third Premier of the People's Republic of China from 1980 to 1987, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1987 to 1989....
, Li returned to Beijing from overseas and immediately went to the former general secretary’s home to pay his last respects.
In 2006, he was a lead signatory to an open letter condemning the state's closure of the investigative newspaper Bingdian
Freezing Point
Freezing Point is a news journal in the People's Republic of China which has been the subject of controversy over its criticism of Communist Party officials and the sympathetic ear it lent to a Chinese historian who had criticized official history textbooks...
.
In 2007, ahead of the 17th Party Congress
17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China
The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing, China, at the Great Hall of the People from 15 to 21 October 2007. The Congress marked significant shift in the political direction of the country as CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao solidified his position of leadership...
, together with retired academic Xie Tao, he published articles calling for the CPC to become a European-style socialist party, remarks were that were condemned by the Party propaganda apparatus.
In October 2010, Li was the lead signatory to an open letter to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is a committee of about 150 members of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China , which is convened between plenary sessions of the NPC. It has the constitutional authority to modify legislation within limits set by...
, calling for much greater press freedom
Freedom of the press
Freedom of the press or freedom of the media is the freedom of communication and expression through vehicles including various electronic media and published materials...
(see English text http://cmp.hku.hk/2010/10/13/8035/).
Personal life
Li has a daughter, Li Nanyang, from whom he was long estranged after she rejected him as an enemy of the Party during his fall from power in the 1950s. Through her efforts in the late 1970s, he was returned from exile and restored to his former rank. The two are now reconciled.Publications
- Li Rui on Mao Tze Dong (李銳談毛澤東), 2005, ISBN 9889828227 http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/3625940/Details
- Lu San Meeting Records 《廬山會議實錄》春秋出版社 ，ISBN 7-5069-0199-4
External links
- lirui.org.cn - Li Rui discussion board (in ChineseChinese languageThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
)