Qian Xingwen
Qián Xìngwén | |
|---|---|
| 钱兴文 | |
 Qian Xingwen in 1985 | |
| State Chairman of Shangea | |
| In office 17th January 1984 – 9th June 1988 | |
| Premier | Liao Congwu |
| Preceded by | Sun Yuting |
| Succeeded by | Yang Zhengming |
| Premier of Xiaodong | |
| In office 24th April 1977 – 17th January 1984 | |
| President | Sun Yuting |
| Preceded by | Shao Yuzhang |
| Succeeded by | Liao Congwu |
| Member of the State Presidium of Xiaodong | |
| In office 24th April 1977 – 9th June 1988 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 14, 1922 Baiqiao, Huayuan Province, Shangea |
| Died | October 22, 2009 (aged 87) Xianmin, Luoyuan Province, Xiaodong |
| Spouse | Peng Meiwei |
| Children | 4 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Shangea (1944-1977) |
| Branch/service | Revolutionary Guard |
| Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
- This is a Shangean name; the family name is Qian (钱).
Qian Xingwen (Shangean: 钱兴文, Qián Xìngwén; born May 14, 1922-October 22, 2009, aged 87) was a Shangean intelligence officer and politician who served as State Chairman from 1984 to 1988 and Premier from 1977 to 1984.
Born in a peasant family in 1922 Qian was a member of the Revolutionary Guard, the gendarmerie force attached to the Shujichu from 1944 onwards. Having been involved in the elimination of socialist influence in the army and later in supressing Chanwan nationalism Qian was soon aligned with the radical National Principlist faction in the army that opposed the governing Xiaodong Regeneration Society on the grounds of "bureaucratising the Corrective Revolution". Qian supported the 1970 Shangean coup d'état that led to Sun Yuting's assumption of power, being appointed in charge of internal security.
In 1977 Qian's loyalty in the internal security portfolio led to Chairman Sun to appoint Qian as premier. As premier Qian was viewed as weak compared to Chairman Sun and mainly continued to expand the Shujichu and other security organs. Qian was seen as one of the key organisers of the 1977 Kuoqing massacre that led to 500,000 people were sent to re-education camps or sentenced to death by the regime whilst a further 800,000 were stripped of their jobs. In 1978 he attempted to implement a modest economic reform programme but adverse reactions to price liberalisation and the 1980 recession ended these reforms.
After Sun's assassination in January 1984 Qian as premier became State Chairman. Facing a situation of near economic collapse Qian allowed Premier Liao Congwu and finance minister Mao Zhukang to spearhead the Economic Reorganising Programme, implementing shock therapy economics either corpratising or privatising public assets creating industrial conglomerates known as Caihongs, deregulating several industries and liberalising foreign trade. The shock therapy policies were controversial as they resulted in economic modernisation but also massive unemployment and a rise in poverty. Under Qian two intergovernmental organisations - the International Forum for Developing States and the Rongzhuo Strategic Protocol Organisation - were created, which were considered major steps in Shangean foreign policy and signalled a more multilateral approach particularly with Zorasan and Ajahadya.
In 1985 the Shangean leadership met with Senrian prime minister Kiyosi Haruna in the first Nuclear Arms Limitation and Non-proliferation Talks. However shortly after the talks relations deteriorated due to Qian approving Operation Calm Waters, sinking Senrian ships with limpet mines, which led to the Senrian bombing of the mausoleum of Lu Keqian by Senria.
In 1988 the Yuxiang nuclear disaster led to a series of protests against the one-party state known as the Orchid Revolution. As a result of the protests Qian and Liao resigned with Legislative Council President Yang Zhengming and foreign minister Li Jingyao taking their places. Qian attempted to continue political influence behind the scenes but was rebuffed - reformists continued to see him as a fundamentally conservative figure whilst hardliners saw Qian as having led to too many concessions. Qian subsequently worked as an envoy to the IFDS until the mid-1990's when he retired into obscurity.
Qian's legacy as State Chairman remains controversial in modern Shangea, particularly his role in the Kuoqing Massacre. His economic reforms also remain contested with supporters praising them for encouraging economic growth and development and detractors stating they led to social collapse. Critics also say Qian's foreign policy escalated tensions with Senria and led to an worsening of Shangean-Senrian relations, although his supporters state that it Senrian prime minister Haruka who escalated such tensions. The creation of ROSPO and the IFDS are considered two of Qian's more important and successful legacies.