Hua Guofeng

Hua Guofeng, also Hua Kuo-feng (1920- ), Chinese political leader, who succeeded Zhou Enlai (Chou En-lai) as premier of China (1976-80) and Mao Zedong (Tse-tung) as chairman of the Chinese Communist Party (1976-81). Hua was born to a peasant family in Shanxi (Shansi) Province but grew up in Shaanxi (Shensi), where the family moved shortly after his birth. He joined the Communist Party in 1935, then served in the Red Army, fighting both the Japanese and the Nationalist forces. After the Communist victory in 1949 he continued to work for the party and by the early 1950s was an official in Hunan Province. Specializing in agricultural and educational matters, he became known as an efficient administrator. From 1958 to 1967 Hua served as vice-governor of Hunan, and in 1970 he became head of the Communist Party in the province. Three years later Mao brought him to Beijing as a member of the Politburo of the national party. In 1975 he joined Premier Zhou's cabinet as deputy premier and minister of public security.

During his career Hua avoided close ties with either the moderate or the radical faction of the Communist leadership. Hence, when the factions clashed over naming a new premier after Zhou's death, Hua was chosen as a compromise candidate. He soon established a power base, however, and having succeeded Mao as chairman of the party later that year, he swiftly curbed the radicals. In 1977 Hua brought Deng Xiaoping, who had been dismissed the year before, back into the government. He was eclipsed by Deng's more dynamic personality, however, and his influence thereafter waned. He resigned as premier in 1980 and as chairman of the party in 1981.