Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997), Chairman of the Fifth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), also called Deng Xiansheng, Deng Xixian and Deng Bin, a native of Guang'an, Sichuan Province, went to France to study on a work-study program in 1920. In 1922 he joined the Chinese Youth Communist Party in Europe. In July 1924 he joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) and served as one of the leaders of the European general branch of the Chinese Socialist Youth League. In 1926 he went to the Soviet Union and studied in Moscow Zhongshan University. In the spring of 1927, he returned home and served as chief of the Political Division of Zhongshan Military and Political School established by the troops under Feng Yuxiang. In June of the same year, he arrived in Wuhan, served as secretary of the departments under the CPC Central Committee and attended the emergency meeting of the CPC Central Committee held on August 7. At the end of the same year, he arrived in Shanghai and served as secretary-general of the CPC Central Committee. In December 1929 he organized and launched the Bose Uprising, established the Seventh Army of the Red Army and served as its political commissar and secretary of the CPC front committee. In February 1930 he organized and launched the Longzhou Uprising, established the Eighth Army of the Red Army and served as its political commissar. He established the Zuojiang-Youjiang Revolutionary Base Area. In August 1931 he went to the Central Revolutionary Base Area in Jiangxi Province. He served as secretary of Ruijin County CPC committee, secretary of Huichang Central County CPC Committee and head of the Propaganda Department of Jiangxi provincial CPC committee. In 1933 he was erroneously criticized and attacked by the leader of the Provisional CPC Central Committee and was dismissed from his posts. Later, he served as secretary-general of the General Political Department of the Red Army and edited the Red Star. In 1934 he took part in the Long March. At the end of the same year, he served as secretary-general of the CPC Central Committee. In January 1935 he attended the famous Zunyi Meeting. Later, he served as head of the Political and Propaganda Departments of the First Army Group of the Red Army and deputy director and director of its Political Department. After the anti-Japanese war broke out, he served as deputy director of the Political Department of the Eighth Route Army. In January 1938 he served as political commissar of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army and established the Shanxi-Hebei-Henan Anti-Japanese Base Area. In September 1942 he served as the Taihang Sub-bureau of the CPC Central Committee. In October 1943 he served as secretary of the Northern Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and took charge of the work of the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army. At the Seventh National Congress of the CPC held in June 1945, he was elected member of the CPC Central Committee. In August of the same year, he served as secretary of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Central Bureau of the CPC and political commissar of the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Area. According to the policy decision on strategic counter-offensive made by the CPC Central Committee in June 1947, he and Liu Bocheng led their troops to march over 500 km to the Dabie Mountains. In May 1948 he served as first secretary of the Central Plains Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and political commissar of the Central Plains Military Area and the Central Plains Field Army. In November of the same year, he served as secretary of the general front committee for the Huai-Hai Campaign. In February 1949 he served as political commissar of the Second Field Army. In March of the same year, he served as first secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. In November of the same year, he and Liu Bocheng led troops to advance southwest, and he served as first secretary of the Southwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, vice-chairman of the Southwest Military and Administrative Commission and political commissar of the Southwest Military Area. In July 1952 he was transferred to work in the Central Government and Vice-Premier of the Government Administration Council, Vice-Chairman of the State Financial and Economic Committee and Minister of Finance. In 1954 he served as Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and member of its Military Commission. In 1954, 1959 and 1965 he served as Vice-Premier of the State Council and Vice-Chairman of the National Defense Council. At the Fifth Plenary Session of the Seventh CPC Central Committee held in 1955, he was elected member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. In September 1956 he was elected member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Eighth CPC Central Committee and general secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee. In September 1959 he served as member of the Standing Committee of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee. After the "cultural revolution" started, he was wrongly criticized and suffered unfair treatment and was relieved of all leading posts. In March 1973 his post of Vice-Premier of the State Council was restored. In January 1975 he served as Vice-Chairman of the Tenth CPC Central Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee and Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army. He took charge of the routine work of the Party and the state and conducted rectification with regard to the serious chaotic situation caused by the "cultural revolution". In April 1976 he was wrongly criticized and framed once again and was relieved of all posts. In July 1977 his original leading posts were restored. In August he was elected Vice-Chairman of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee and its Military Commission. At the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee held in June 1981, he was Chairman of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee. From March 1978 to June 1983, he served as Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee. In September 1982 he was elected member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the CPC Central Advisory Commission. In June 1983 and April 1988, he was elected Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China. At the Fifth Plenary Session of the Thirteenth CPC Central Committee held in November 1989, he resigned as Chairman of the Military Commission of the CPC Central Committee. At the Third Plenary Session of the Seventh NPC held in March 1990, he resigned as Chairman of the Military Commission of the People's Republic of China. He was member of the Standing Committee of the First and Second CPPCC National Committees. His major works are included in the Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping.
