Hua Guofeng

views updated Jun 08 2018

Hua Guofeng (c.1920– ) ( Hua Kuofeng) Chinese statesman, premier (1976–80), chairman (1976–81) of the Chinese Communist Party. After the death (1976) of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, Hua was responsible for the arrest of the Gang of Four. His pragmatic approach to domestic and foreign policy led to his isolation within the party. The rising power of Deng Xiaoping led to Hua being replaced by Zhao Ziyang as premier and Hu Yaobang as party chairman.