Hu Yaobang's birthday to be commemorated
(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2005-11-15 16:08

China's Foreign Ministry has said that a meeting will be held in mid-November in Beijing to commemorate the 90th birthday of former Chinese Communist Party chief Hu Yaobang, who died in April 1989.

Hu Yaobang (right) and China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping raise their hands in adopting the decision on economic system reform at the third plenum of the 12th central committee of the Chinese Communist Party in this September 1982 file photo. [newsphoto]

"Commemorative activities marking the 90th anniversary of the birth of Hu Yaobang will be held in Beijing in mid-November,' Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said at the ministry's regular news briefing on Tuesday.

"China's central leadership will attend the meeting," he said.

The spokesman said he did not have details on the exact date of the event or which Chinese leaders would attend.

The Chinese Communist Party has not publicly honoured the late charismatic leader Hu, who was known for spearheading the country's reform and opening-up efforts in the early 1980s when Mr. Deng Xiaoping kicked off the drive and ushered China to a completely new growth mode.