The last and longest living of the '8 Immortals' has passed away. Former vice-premier Bo Yibo died on January 15 in Beijing at the age of 98. The other seven are Deng Xiaoping (93), Li Xiannian (83), Wang Zhen (85), Chen Yun (90), Yang Shangkun (91), Song Renqiong (96) and Peng Zhen (95). They were all persecuted during the Cultural Revolution and all played a role in formulating and executing the policy of reform and opening up launched in December 1978.
Bo Yibo is one of the last to have played a role in the Long March, the anti-Japanese resistance and the founding of the People's Republic of China, when he was first secretary of the North China Bureau of the Chinese Communist Party. In 1957 he became vice premier and director of the State Economic Committee. After the Cultural Revolution he once again became vice premier in July 1979, to become a State Councilor in 1982.
His role in the Tiananmen Square incident of 1989 is unclear. some reports claim he played a role in the decision to send the troops to crush the demonstrations. Unless more evidence becomes available, the jury is still out.
His most prominent son is the current minister of commerce, Bo Xilai, who spent long years proving his worth as mayor of Dalian and governor of Liaoning province, probably destined for even higher office. I have met Bo Xilai twice and there is no doubt he is a capable leader.
With the passing of Bo Yibo, another old revolutionary has left this world. A few are still among us, including former Chairman Hua Guofeng.
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