On November 10, 1982, The supreme leader of the Soviet Union, Brezhnev, died suddenly of illness.
Although Brezhnev has not been in good health and has rarely appeared in public since suffering a stroke in 1982, just three days before his death, Brezhnev also presided over the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the October Revolution, personally appeared on the Red Square parade, and gave a speech at a celebratory banquet. Therefore, the news of Brezhnev's sudden death shocked the whole world.
Who will be elected as the "Special Envoy"?
Brezhnev was in power in the Soviet Union for 18 years, during which time the Soviet economy maintained a relatively rapid pace of development, and by the early 1970s, the Soviet Union's strategic nuclear weapons had reached a level of balance with the United States, and the Soviet Union had become a superpower that could sit on an equal footing with the United States.
Therefore, some people say that the brezhnev period was "the most powerful heyday of the comprehensive national strength of the Soviet Union."
After the death of the Soviet leader, the Soviets buried him in the Red Square Cemetery, not far from the Kremlin, after five days of national mourning.
Heads of state or government of 32 countries, including Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, Prime Minister Pierre Moruvar of France, President Baback Carmel of Afghanistan, President of the Council of State fidel Castro of Cuba and President Hafez Al-Assad of Syria, attended Brezhnev's funeral in Moscow.
Even the United States, which had deep contradictions with the Soviet Union, sent a delegation led by Vice President George W. Bush to Moscow.
The Soviet Union's state funeral for Brezhnev was scheduled for November 15, 1982, so should China send someone to mourn and who to send to mourn?
Deng Xiaoping, with the ingenuity of a great man and after careful consideration, finally selected State Councilor and Foreign Minister Huang Hua as a "special envoy" to attend Brezhnev's funeral.
At the same time as making the decision that Huang Hua should go to Moscow on behalf of China to attend the funeral, Comrade Xiaoping also asked the NPC Standing Committee to send a telegram of condolences to the Soviet Union, and NPC Vice Chairman Ulan fu personally went to the Soviet Embassy in China to offer condolences.
Yan'an came out as a world-class diplomat
Why did Comrade Xiaoping choose Foreign Minister Huang Hua as China's special envoy to Brezhnev's funeral? Because Foreign Minister Huang Hua is a world-class diplomat who came out of Yan'an.
As an outstanding leader in the history of mainland diplomacy and the fifth foreign minister of New China, Huang Hua fought through the complicated diplomatic struggles; he treated foreign friends and amiable people and forged good relations;
During his tenure as foreign minister, he participated in many diplomatic work of strategic significance, such as the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States and the signing of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Peace and Friendship, and was a diplomat who devoted his life to the diplomatic cause of New China.
Born in 1913 in Ci County, Hebei Province, Huang Hua was admitted to Yenching University at the age of 19, where he laid a solid foundation in English.
In 1936, Huang Hua joined the Communist Party of China and participated in leading the 12.9 Movement. Later, Huang Hua, as an interpreter for Edgar Snow, set foot on the land of Yan'an with Snow.
During this trip to Yan'an, Snow wrote the "Journey to the West" in the West, which introduced the legendary experiences of the Chinese Communist Party and Mao Zedong. As a translator, Huang Hua has at least half the credit. But Huang Hua believes that the biggest gain of his trip is the privilege of meeting Mao Zedong.
After learning that Huang Hua was a student leader from Beijing, Mao Zedong praised him: "The young people in Beijing have done a good job. He also instructed Huang Hua to accompany Snow to the front line to conduct interviews while publicizing to the soldiers and the masses the student anti-Japanese salvation movement in the Kuomintang-ruled areas.
After coming to Yan'an this time, Huang Hua stayed in Yan'an.
Starting as an officer of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, he successively served as the chief of education of the Yan'an Young Cadres School and the chief of the Liaison Section of the Central Foreign Affairs Group, participated in receiving the US military to the work of the observation group, and assisted the observation group in writing detailed reports to the US government and the military.
After the founding of New China, Huang Hua was transferred to the foreign affairs department.
At the Bandung Conference and the Geneva Conference, Huang Hua, as the press spokesman of the Chinese delegation, was active among journalists from various countries, expanding the international influence of new China. His conscientious and responsible work style was deeply appreciated by Premier Zhou Enlai.
In 1971, Huang Hua served as China's first permanent representative to the United Nations, and during Kissinger's secret visit to China, he participated in the important talks between Premier Zhou Enlai and Kissinger, and participated in the formulation of the announcement of Nixon's visit to China.
Premier Zhou once praised him: "Among the diplomatic negotiators in new China, he is the most talented." ”
During Deng Xiaoping's invitation to visit the United States in January 1979, Huang Hua, together with the national security department, foiled an assassination campaign of Taiwan agents and US terrorist organizations against Deng Xiaoping, and with skillful diplomatic skills and forces from all walks of life, contributed to the success of Comrade Xiaoping's visit.
In December 1976, Huang Hua became the fifth foreign minister of new China.
In Huang Hua's eyes, Xiaoping had the strengths of both Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, and was both a strategist and a tactician. Comrade Xiaoping was particularly good at adjusting the mainland's foreign policy concepts and practices in light of the new situation and new trends in the international situation at that time, thus bringing China's diplomatic work in the new period into an unprecedented best period.
Comrade Huang Hua and Xiaoping have a deep friendship. In October 1980, when he reported to Comrade Xiaoping on his work after accompanying the French president back to Beijing during a visit to Tibet, he brought an exquisite bronze statue of a bodhisattva as a gift to Comrade Xiaoping.
Comrade Xiaoping said enviously: "I also want to go to Tibet to have a look, but the doctors resolutely refused to let me go, saying that it was dangerous to me, and I had to obey my orders." ”
After speaking, Comrade Xiaoping also opened the tube of his pants to show Huang Hua: "You see, my leg has been swollen for a month since I returned from the last climb of Huangshan Mountain, and it has not completely disappeared." I insisted on walking up the Huangshan Mountain myself and climbing to the top of the mountain. They wanted me to sit on a sliding pole, but I resolutely refused to do it, and I went down the mountain by myself. The next time you go to Tibet, you must shout at me, okay? ”
"Chinese always come to the guests at the mercy of the Lord"
On November 14, Huang Hua and his party left Beijing and flew to Moscow, where Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Ilizev had been waiting at the airport for a long time.
Illichev told Huang Hua that the funeral will be held at 9 a.m. on the 15th in Red Square, when the delegations of socialist countries will arrange to stand on the viewing platform on the left side of Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square, and the delegations of non-socialist countries will be arranged on the right viewing platform. ”
This question had long been thought of by Comrade Xiaoping long before Huang Hua left.
Therefore, Huang Hua replied according to Comrade Xiaoping's instructions: China is a socialist country, but the Soviet Union is the master, and Chinese has always paid attention to "the guests are at their disposal." After hearing this, Illichev nodded his head and said that the Soviet side would make the best arrangements for the Chinese delegation.
Subsequently, Huang Hua delivered a written speech dictated by Comrade Xiaoping and drafted by Hu Qiaomu. The speech was not long, but Comrade Kodaira made a rather positive evaluation of Brezhnev in this speech, calling him "an outstanding state activist of the Soviet Union" and "his death is a great loss to the Soviet state and people."
Although this speech did not directly congratulate Andropov on succeeding Brezhnev as general secretary of the CPSU (after all, Brezhnev had just died, so it was not written in line with diplomatic rhetoric), the speech was very positive in its evaluation of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Brezhnev, and the congratulations on Andropov's succession as general secretary of the CPSU were also heartfelt.
After listening to the speech at the airport, Deputy Foreign Minister Illichev praised it as "very positive" and told Huang Hua that he would definitely have the main Soviet newspapers prominently publish the speech in full. The next day, this speech dictated by Comrade Xiaoping really appeared in a prominent position in the major newspapers of the Soviet Union.
On the evening of November 14, Huang Hua and his party came to the Column Hall in Moscow to attend the farewell ceremony of Brezhnev's body. According to the arrangements of the Soviet side, the socialist countries were at the forefront of the mourning line, and Special Envoy Huang Hua was in the front position of this line, and the wreath he laid on behalf of China was also placed in a prominent position in the hall.
There were many guests from all over the world who lined up to bid farewell to Brezhnev's body, and people stood very closely, so the Chinese delegation standing in front of them also became the focus of the whole audience.
While queuing forward, Huang Hua suddenly heard the guests behind him say loudly: "Is there a Chinese comrade in front?" I am Kárdal of Hungary and I am very happy to see Chinese comrades here! ”
Huang Hua immediately turned back and wanted to shake hands with the leader of the Hungarian Communist Party, but because there were so many people in line, he could not squeeze into the position where Kadar was standing, so he had to wave to him.
Brezhnev's daughter
At 8:30 a.m. on November 15, Brezhnev's coffin was carried out of the Cylindrical Hall by 12 soldiers, put on a hearse, and slowly drove to Red Square, two kilometers away.
On Moscow's Red Square, tens of thousands of people stood silently in the cold wind, waiting for the arrival of Brezhnev's coffin.
Brezhnev's body was placed on a gun truck, surrounded by flowers and black and red satin tusks, and dozens of escort officers stood next to him.
Envoy Huang Hua was placed on the first step of the cement steps of the viewing platform on the left side of Lenin's Mausoleum in Red Square, which can be said to be a very high "C position".
Even the party and government leaders of some other socialist countries could only stand behind Special Envoy Huang Hua, which shows the importance that the Soviets attach to China's special envoy.
Brezhnev's daughter Brezhneva cried heavily at the funeral because Brezhnev had doted on her daughter since childhood. It has been said that Brezhnev "looked at the world with one eye and stared at his daughter with the other."
Brezhneva grew up in this doting and developed an arbitrary, spoiled and wayward character.
Brezhneva had several marriages. Her ex-husbands include circus actors, magicians, and ballet stars. But this marriage failed for various reasons.
One night in September 1970, Chulbanov, with long black hair and a straight uniform, was drinking in a Moscow restaurant when Brezhneva walked in through the door. Chulbanov knew that brezhnev was the pearl in brezhnev's hand, so he went up to talk.
Brezhneva saw that Chulbanov was extraordinary, and she chatted with Chulbanov. In this way, the 34-year-old Chulbanov fell in love with Brezhneva, who was 7 years older than him.
Shortly after Brezhnev's death, Brezhneva divorced Chulbanov. Later, there was a scandal with a young gypsy actor and singer Boris, but the relationship did not come to fruition in the end.
She then became an alcoholic and was sent to a mental hospital for alcoholism. In June 1998, Brezhneva died in loneliness, leaving a last word before dying: "All I want is love." ”
The Chinese envoys were treated very well
Among all the guests attending Brezhnev's funeral, the Soviet side gave the Chinese envoy extremely high treatment, not only did the motorcycle team sent by the Soviet Union open the way, but even any activity of the Chinese envoy in the Soviet Union would arrange the Chinese in the front position, and the Soviet media would also report it in the most prominent position in the newspaper.
Even in terms of the level of the interpreters, there was a great difference: the Soviet side assigned only an ordinary translator to the delegations of other countries, while the Chinese envoy enjoyed the full escort of Deputy Foreign Minister Ilichev.
According to the arrangements of the Soviet side, after attending Brezhnev's funeral, Special Envoy Huang Hua and his entourage were also invited to visit the State Gagarin Aerospace Training Center located in the "Star City" on the outskirts of Moscow on the morning of 17 July.
This space center is a secret unit named after the heroic Soviet astronaut Gagarin, and generally does not invite foreigners to visit, and the Soviet side arranged for Special Envoy Huang Hua to visit here, obviously as a special courtesy for Chinese.
Huang Hua visited the center's vast and complex equipment with great interest, watching the training of astronauts weightless and various ascending and returning maneuver techniques. Huang Hua was accompanied by Ye Feimov, the first deputy commander of the Soviet Air Force, and five generals in sharp armor.
Huang Hua laid flowers in front of the Gagarin Monument and expressed his heartfelt congratulations to the Soviet scientists for their outstanding achievements, and thanked the host for his very friendly and warm reception.
After attending Brezhnev's funeral, Envoy Huang Hua also held talks with Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko. He conveyed Comrade Xiaoping's opinion to the Soviets: "China and the Soviet Union are two major neighboring countries, and no one can move home." Gromyko listened to this sentence and nodded his head in agreement.
After the talks, Gromyko, who had always had a serious expression, showed a friendly smile to Special Envoy Huang Hua and sent the Chinese guests to the elevator to shake hands and say goodbye. After stepping out of the elevator, Ambassador Yang Shouzheng quietly lay down in Huang Hua's ear and said: "Gromyko never sends guests to the elevator, his performance today is too rare!" ”
On the afternoon of November 15, Envoy Huang Hua was met by General Secretary of the Soviet Union Andropov in the George Hall of the Grand Kremlin.
When the new supreme leader of the Soviet Union saw Huang Hua, he stepped forward and shook the hand of Special Envoy Huang Hua tightly to welcome him, thanking the Communist Party of China and the government for sending envoys to brezhnev's funeral. Huang Hua also conveyed to him the congratulations of Deng Xiaoping and other Chinese leaders.
After the meeting, Special Envoy Huang Hua joked to Ambassador Yang Shouzheng: "Andropov talked with me for three or four minutes, and talked with the leaders of other countries for only one or two minutes. ”
There were one hundred and fifty or sixty foreign delegations to Moscow to attend Brezhnev's funeral, including some heads of state and government, and Huang Hua's rank was not superior to these people.
However, the Soviet side gave the Chinese side a super-standard courtesy, which also shows that in the face of the gradual rise of China, the Soviet Union's attitude toward China has also changed, and the Soviet side is also looking forward to a greater progress in Sino-Soviet relations.
Andropov was the supreme leader for more than a year and three months, and died of illness in February 1984.
Resources:
Huang Hua: Memoirs of Huang Hua: China Sends Envoys to Brezhnev's Funeral
Li Jingxian: "Deng Xiaoping: Using Wisdom to Live the Chess Game of Sino-Soviet Relations"