Chapter 32 Part IX Deng Xiaoping and the Drafting of the "Manifesto"

On the afternoon of November 25, 1978, after the members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee listened to the reports of Lin Hujia of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, Han Ying and Hu Qili of the Central Committee of the Jia Ting Sanhe League, and gave instructions, Deng Xiaoping met with the second visit to China of the Japanese Democratic Socialist Party on the 26th. On the evening of the same day Japan's Jiji Press sent a telegram from Tokyo, and the four major western news agencies of the United States, Agence France-Presse, United Press, and Reuters made a rebroadcast on the same day based on the news from the Japanese News Agency.On November 27, Deng Xiaoping met with Novak, an American columnist, and answered some questions raised by Novak.

Comrade Deng Xiaoping’s interview with the Japanese, the secretariat group of the Central Working Conference printed and distributed to the attendees of the meeting on the 28th; published the "Briefing of Foreign Correspondents" compiled and printed by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 27th, and the secretarial group of the meeting It was also distributed to the attendees of the Central Work Conference.At this time (unspecified time) the members of the Standing Committee listened to the reports of the conveners of the various groups. One member of the Standing Committee asked Deng whether the nineteen points he had spoken to the Japanese guests could be conveyed to the cadres and work with the masses in accordance with this spirit.Deng Xiaoping replied: "That conversation (the Japanese reporter) summed it up basically correctly." Hua Guofeng made a decision: Comrade Deng Xiaoping's conversation with the Japanese can be conveyed to the following.These speeches were conveyed to each subgroup at the meeting where the Standing Committee listened to the report.The main content of Deng Xiaoping's conversations with foreign guests was about the "Tiananmen Incident".

In the conversation with Novak there were domestic and international parts.In the section on domestic issues, he talked about "evaluation of Chairman Mao", "re-evaluation of Peng Dehuai", "refutation of the so-called power struggle", and "issues on big-character posters and stability and unity".In the third part Deng Xiaoping said: "I can tell you (Novak) a background material. When determining the members of the central leadership, someone wanted me to be the prime minister, and I objected first. It's not that I can't be. Being a prime minister is a exhausting job. At that time I am 73 years old, now I am 74 years old. I can't do it anymore. It is better to be younger. Chairman Ruhua is more appropriate.

"The evaluation of the 'Tiananmen Incident' in the past was wrong. Recently, the Beijing Municipal Party Committee re-declared that the 'Tiananmen Incident' was a revolutionary action, which was affirmed and approved by the Party Central Committee. (Without the approval of the Party Central Committee) the Beijing Municipal Committee did not declare either ( The power to re-evaluate). This is not only the will of the Party Central Committee, but also the unanimous wish of the whole party, which is decided by everyone. "There is no need for the Party Central Committee to make a new decision on this issue. Chairman Mao Zedong has always advocated that 'mistakes must be corrected'. Since the handling of the 'Tiananmen Incident' in the past was wrong, it must be corrected.

"The background of the 'Tiananmen Incident' was fabricated by the 'Gang of Four'. The people have doubts about why Chairman Mao approved it (the decision of the Party Central Committee at that time). The people do not know the situation at that time. Chairman Mao was very sick at that time. At that time, Chairman Hua Guofeng was in charge of the work of the Party Central Committee (he was the vice chairman at the time), but even he could not see Chairman Mao. Only the "Gang of Four" could see Chairman Mao. At that time, Chairman Mao could not even speak Not clear, in a state of not being able to judge or think about many things. The 'Gang of Four' took advantage of the situation and dealt with issues as if Chairman Mao had agreed.

"The masses of the people are unaware of these circumstances and have doubts in their hearts. Therefore, these circumstances should be well explained. "Correct the evaluation of the 'Tiananmen incident'. No one disagrees with this. It is just that solving complex problems requires a certain process, and now the time is ripe. "After smashing the 'Gang of Four', there are many problems that need to be corrected. If these problems are not corrected, not only will the 'Four Modernizations' not be realized, but even maintaining the status quo will be difficult.

"After crushing the 'Gang of Four', we are confident. "When the 'Gang of Four' was crushed, the masses were happy. More than 99 percent hoped for stability and unity. "The Party Central Committee and local leaders are working hard to realize the 'four modernizations'. Without stability and unity, it is impossible to realize the 'four modernizations'. "The whole party is 100% in favor of the 'Four Modernizations'. Not 99%. For stability and unity, the leaders are 100% in favor, and the whole country is in favor of 99%. This is not a superficial phenomenon."