The death of a reformist
Former Communist Party of China (CCP) chief Hu Yaobang had sought to liberalise China and overturn some of the Mao era ideologies. He was removed from his position as a top official in the CCP in 1987 by then-de facto leader Deng Xiaoping for supporting liberal political and economic views.
He died on 15 April 1989, triggering an outpouring of grief, particularly from students who felt they had lost an ally in their mission to liberalise the country.
