Zhao Ziyang

His Excellency

Zhao Ziyang
His Excellency; Zhao Ziyang
赵紫阳
	Zhao Ziyang in 1985
General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
	In office; 1 November 1987 – 23 June 1989; acting from 16 January 1987
President	Li Xiannian; Yang Shangkun
Premier	Li Peng
Preceded by	Hu Yaobang
Succeeded by	Jiang Zemin
Premier of the People's Republic of China
	In office; 10 September 1980 – 24 November 1987
President	Post abolished; Li Xiannian
Deputy	Deng Xiaoping; Wan Li
Preceded by	Hua Guofeng
Succeeded by	Li Peng
Personal details
Born	17 October 1919; Hua County, Henan
Died	17 January 2005 (aged 85); Beijing, People's Republic of China
Cause of death	Stroke
Nationality	Chinese
Political party	Communist Party of China
Spouse(s)	Liang Boqi(1918–2013)
Children	Zhao Daijun (eldest son); Zhao Erjun (second son); Zhao Sanjun (third son); Zhao Sijun (fourth son); Zhao Liang (daughter); Zhao Wujun (fifth son)

Zhao Ziyang was a high-ranking politician in China. He was the Premier of the People's Republic of China from 1980 to 1987, Vice Chairman of the Communist Party of China from 1981 to 1982 and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1987 to 1989.

Zhao did not like Maoist policies. He received support from Deng Xiaoping after the Cultural Revolution. Zhao tried to stop corruption and to make general market economic changes. His views made him unpopular with important leaders including Premier Li Peng, former President Li Xiannian and Party elder Chen Yun. After the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 Zhao was not allowed to be a politician. He was placed under house arrest.^[1]

Zhao Ziyang Media

Zhao (top left) pictured with Mao Zedong in Wuhan, January 1966
Zhao was hosted by US president Ronald Reagan at the White House on 10 January 1984 as part of a broader effort to improve China's relations with the West.
No. 6 Fuqiang Hutong, where Zhao lived
Zhao Ziyang's final burial site in 2019, with his son Zhao Erjun [zh] on the right.