Gu Mu | |
|---|---|
| 谷牧 | |
 Gu Mu in 1940 | |
| Vice Premier of China | |
| In office 1975–1982 | |
| Premier | Zhou Enlai Hua Guofeng Zhao Ziyang |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1914 |
| Died | November 6, 2009 (aged 95) Beijing |
| Political party | Communist Party of China |
| Children | 4 sons, 1 daughter |
Gu Mu (Chinese:谷牧;pinyin:Gǔ Mù;Wade–Giles:Ku3 Mu4; September 1914 – November 6, 2009) was a Chinese revolutionary figure and politician, who served as theVice Premier of China between 1975 and 1982. As one ofDeng Xiaoping's main aides in charge of economic management, he played a major role in implementing Deng'seconomic reform policies of the 1980s. He was a key figure in the creation ofShenzhen, China's firstSpecial Economic Zone.[1]
Gu Mu was born in September 1914 in a village inRongcheng, Shandong. His birth name wasLiu Jiayu (Chinese:刘家语). Although his parents were poor peasants, he received a good education at the insistence of his grandfather.[2]
He joined the Communist Party in July 1932 and became involved in revolutionary activities inWendeng County, where he was attending school. He changed his name to "Gu Mu" to avoid implicating his family. In 1934, Gu went to Beijing (then known asBeiping) and became a leader of the Beiping branch of theLeague of Left-Wing Writers.[2]
In 1936, Gu Mu worked in military logistics under the warlordZhang Xueliang, and participated in theXi'an Incident.[2] In September 1940, Gu went back to Shandong to take on a series of progressively senior leadership positions, including Deputy Political Commissar of the First Military Region.[1][2]
After the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, Gu became the Party Secretary and Mayor ofJinan, the capital of Shandong, as well asPolitical Commissar of theJinan Military Region. In February 1952 he was named Deputy Party Secretary and propaganda chief ofShanghai.[1][2]
In 1954, Gu was transferred to Beijing as Deputy Head of the State Construction Commission.[3]
During his service as Vice Director of the Economic Commission, Gu was assigned in 1964 to lead the Third Front Construction Support and ExaminationSmall Group.[4]: 85 This small group was tasked with providing resources for theThird Front campaign to develop basic industry and national defense industry in China's rugged interior in an effort to prepare for potential United States or Soviet invasion.[4]: 85
In 1965 he became Director of the State Construction Commission.
During theCultural Revolution, Gu rose to be deputy toLi Xiannian andYu Qiuli in theeconomic planning unit of the State Council.[3] Gu was a part of theFebruary Countercurrent of 1967, in which a group of military leaders criticized the Cultural Revolution, contending that it had disrupted society and threatened the leadership of the Party.[5]: 154 Gu was later removed from his positions and suffered political persecution like many other leaders.
He returned to work in 1973 as head of theState Development and Planning Commission. In 1975, he was appointed a Vice-Premier underZhou Enlai, and led the State Construction Commission and the Import and Export Commission of theState Council.[1]
Between 1978 and 1988 Gu was a major part of the new reformist government underDeng Xiaoping, specializing in external relations and economic development. Gu, as Vice-Premier, led the PRC's first formal delegation to Western Europe following the Cultural Revolution.[6]: 331 On the trip Gu visited France, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, and West Germany.[7] Deng tasked Gu with making a detailed investigation, emphasizing that the delegation should learn from the advanced experience of capitalism.[6]: 331 Deng asked that Gu and the delegation study the current stage of capitalist development and how economic work was managed.[8]: 46 On returning to China, the Gu delegation reported to the Chinese Communist Party Politburo and strongly influenced subsequent policy to open towards foreign technology.[3] He became a member of the Central Secretariat in 1980, and State Councilor in May 1982. As one ofDeng Xiaoping's chief aides in charge of economic management, he played a major role in implementing Deng'seconomic reform policies and China's opening to the world. He was a key figure in the creation ofShenzhen, China's firstSpecial Economic Zone.[1]
In 1988, Gu became a vice-chairman of theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a mostly ceremonial post. He retired in 1993, and left public life.[1]
Gu Mu died on November 6, 2009, at the age of 95. He was officially eulogized as a "long-tested and loyal warrior of the Communist cause, a proletariat revolutionary, an outstanding leader in the field of economic development". Top Chinese leaders, includingHu Jintao andJiang Zemin attended his funeral.[2]
Gu Mu had four sons: Liu Nianyuan (刘念远), Liu Huiyuan (刘会远), Liu Liyuan (刘历远), Liu Xianyuan (刘宪远), and a daughter, Liu Yanyuan (刘燕远). They are all surnamed "Liu" in accordance with Gu's real surname. Liu Nianyuan has retired as a major general of thePeople's Liberation Army. Liu Liyuan was imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution for two years, together withYe Jianying's sonYe Xuanping and son-in-lawZou Jiahua,Bo Yibo's three sons includingBo Xilai, and the sons ofHe Long.[9]
Japan:
Grand Cordon of theOrder of the Rising Sun (30 June 2008)[10]| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
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