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The Security Service for Chinese Central Leaders*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

Wei Li
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Extract

National leaders need security protection against political assassinations, espionage, terrorism and many other dangers, and therefore almost every country has a specialized organization to provide such protection. In the United States, the President is protected by the Secret Service of the Treasury Department, and in the Soviet Union, the Kremlin denizens were guarded by the Ninth Directorate of the KGB. The Chinese security system for the top leadership, consisting mainly of the Central Security Bureau in Zhongnanhai, is however distinctive in several respects. Institutionally it has a peculiarly complex set of arrangements which result in some puzzling divisions of responsibilities. It also relies heavily on a military detachment, Unit 8341. Above all, the Chinese central security apparatus can, and does, play a more active and indispensable political role than is common in other countries.

Type
Research Notes
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 143 , September 1995 , pp. 814 - 827
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1995

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References

1 The Central Security Bureau contained other sub-units, but they were not directly involved in security work narrowly defined. Weidong, Cao, Hong bingli (The Red Medical Records) (Taiyuan:Shanxi renmin chubanshe, 1993), pp. 13Google Scholar, 265; Jihong, Ruan, “Mao Zedong he tade jiyao mishu Zhang Yufeng” (“Mao Zedong and his confidential mishu Zhang Yufeng”), in Zhang, Yufenget al. (eds.), Mao Zedong yishi (Anecdotes about Mao Zedong) (Changsha: Hunan wenyi chubanshe, 1989), p. 33Google Scholar; Shuyun, Zheng, “Xiao Zheng, ni shuo wohai neng huo ji tian? (“Little Zheng, can you tell how many more days can I live?”), in Cheng, Hua (ed.), Zhou Enlai he tade mishumen (Zhou Enlai and His Mishus) (Beijing: Zhongguo guangbo dianshi chubanshe, 1992), p. 489Google Scholar; Zhisui, Li, Private Life of Chairman Mao (New York: Random House, 1994), p. 49.Google Scholar Li Zhisui was Mao's personal physician for over 20 years and, according to his own account, was a confidant of both Mao and Wang Dongxing, Mao's long-time security chief.

2 About 400–300 strong, a security guard battalion was called a ying or dadui. A security guards company (lian or zhongdui) was made up of 100 or so soldiers. A security guards platoon (pat) was roughly 35 strong. A security guard squad, consisting of about ten to 20 members, was called a ban or fendui. These figures are based on the scattered information from the Chinese memoirs.

3 Since the early 1970s Unit 8341 has often been referred to as the Central Guards Division, suggesting that it may have been expanded and upgraded. But there is still considerable confusion about the different appellations. Zhongguo renming da cidian: xianren dang zheng jun lingdao renwu juan (Who's Who in China: Current Leaders) (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1989), p. 839; and Lin Qingshan, Lin Biao zhuan (A Biography of Lin Biao) (Beijing: Zhishi chubanshe, 1988), p. 879.

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10 Zhang Muqi, “Laotou er jiu shi Mao Zedong,” p. 41. A bodyguard was called in Chinese weishi, jingwei yuan, neigin, neiwei, or qinwu yuan; and a head bodyguard was called weishi zhang (head bodyguard), jingwei mishu (security secretary) or jingwei canmou (security staff aide).

11 Yanchi, Quan, Zouxia shentan de Mao Zedong (The Mao Zedong off the Altar) (Beijing: Zhongwai wenhua chuban gongsi, 1989), p. 200Google Scholar; Yunsheng, Zhang, Maojiawan jishi: Lin Biao mishu huiyi lu (The Eyewitness Accounts of Maojiawan: Memoirs of Lin Biao's Mishu) (Beijing: Chunqiu chubanshe, 1988), p. 20Google Scholar; Qingshan, Lin, Jiang Qing chenfu lu (The Rise and Fall of Jiang Qing) (Beijing: Zhongguo xinwen chubanshe, 1988), p. 419.Google Scholar

12 Zhang Yunsheng, Maojiawan jishi, p. 243.

13 Zhang Muqi, “Laotou er jiu shi Mao Zedong,” p. 43; Shao Yihai, ”Lianhe Jiandui” de fumo, p. 233.

14 Pin, He, “Jiang Zemin de tebie zhuli: Zeng Qinghong, Yang Dezhong” (“Jiang Zemin's special assistants: Zeng Qinghong and Yang Dezhong”) Zhongguo shibao zhoukan (China Times Weekly), No. 101 (1993), p. 72.Google Scholar

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16 Zhang Muqi, “Lao touer jiu shi Mao Zedong,” p. 44.

17 Ibid. p. 45.

18 Shao Yihai, “Lianhe Jiandui” de fumo, p. 278.

19 Zenghai, Dai, “Women de qingchun cong Zhongnanhai qibu” (“Our youth started in Zhongnanhai”), in Zhang, Hualin (ed.), Zai Zhongnanhai de rizi li (Working Inside Zhongnanhai) (Beijing: Dangan chubanshe, 1992), p. 165.Google Scholar The author is a security officer with a battalion-level rank in the Security Department of the State Council.

20 Junting, Lietal., Zhongguo wuzhuang liliang tonglan, 1949–1989 (A Survey of China's Military Forces, 1949–1989) (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1990), pp. 51,56,59Google Scholar; Cui, Jingminetal. (eds.), Zhongguo zhengfu jigou minglu: zhongyang juan (A Directory of the Chinese Governmental Organs: The Centre Volume) (Beijing: Xinhua chubanshe, 1992), p. 68.Google Scholar

21 It is notable that the security services for both Party leaderships and governments at provincial, prefecture and county levels are provided solely by the subordinate regional units of the MPS Security Bureau. Ibid.

22 Zhong Guofeng, “Zhongnanhai juemi wenjian shiqie an” (“A case of top secret documents stolen in Zhongnanhai”) Zhengming, May 1993, p. 14–16; Li Ziyu, “Hua Guofeng guandi dianshiji shiqie ji,” pp. 16–18.

23 Li Jutting et al., Zhongguo wuzhuang liliang tonglan, pp. 51,56,59; Jingmin, Cuiet al., Zhongguo zhengfujigou minglu, p. 68. Also see Nicholas Eftimiades, Chinese Intelligence Operations (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 1994), p. 47.Google Scholar

24 Cao Weidong, Hong bingli, pp. 158, 201.

25 Ru, Xiu, Yi jiu qi liu nian da shi neimu (The Inside Story about the Major Events in 1976) (Beijing: Dongfang chubanshe, 1989), pp. 430–433.Google Scholar

26 Lin Qingshan, Lin Biao zhuan, p. 364.

27 Shao Yihai, “Lianhe Jiandui” de fumo, p. 192.

28 Lin Qingshan, Jiang Qing chenfu lu, p. 772.

29 Cao Weidong, Hong bingli, p. 201.

30 Shao Yihai, “Lianhe Jiandui” de fumo, pp. 248–251,270–383;Lin Qingshan, Lin Biaozhuan, pp. 834–35, 844–45,848; Weixun, Guan, Wo suo zhidao de Ye Qun (The Ye Qun that I Knew) (Beijing: Meitan gongye chubanshe, 1993), pp. 174–75.Google Scholar

31 Quan Yanchi, Zouxia shentan de Mao Zedong, p. 37.

32 Ibid. p. 3.

33 Zhang Muqi, “Laotou er jiu shi Mao Zedong,” p. 37.

34 Zhang Yunsheng, Maojiawan jishi, pp. 243, 245–46.

35 Qiao Jinwang, “Lao Qiao a, Wenhua da geming ba wo lei kua le” (“Old Qiao ah, the Cultural Revolution has tired me out”), in Cheng Hua, Zhou Enlai he fade mishumen, p. 428.

36 He Pin, “Jiang Zemin de tebie zhuli,” p. 73.

37 Ping, Sheng, Zhongguo gongchandang renming da cidian (Who's Who of the Chinese Communist Party) (Beijing: Zhongguo guoji guangbo chubanshe, 1991), p. 372Google Scholar; Xinli, Xiao, Xunshi dajiang nanbei de Mao Zedong (Mao Zedong on His Tours Across the Country) (Beijing: Zhongguo shehui kexue chubanshe, 1993), p. 339Google Scholar

38 Zhongguo gongchandang renming da cidian, p. 839; He Pin, “Jiang Zemin de tebie zhuli,” p. 73; “Shijiu wei gaoji junguan jinsheng shangjiang: Jiang Zemin banfa mingling zhuang bing jianghua” (“Nineteen high-ranking army officers are promoted to full generals: Jiang Zemin makes the announcements and delivers a speech”), Renmin ribao (People's Daily) (overseas edition), 9 June 1994, p. 1.

39 Ye Qun, Lin's wife and head of his personal staff office, was always suspicious of the CSB and Unit 8341. She insisted that Lin's security work must be shared between the CMC Security Department and the CSB, so that “there can be checks and balances between the two organs.” Zhang Yunsheng, Maojiawan jishi, pp. 243, 245–46.

40 Shao Yihai, “Lianhe Jiandui” de fumo, p. 249.

41 Lin Qingshan, Lin Biao zhuan, pp. 834—35; Liu Huinian, “Mao Zedong fensui Lin Biao zhengbian shimo ji” (“The whole story of how Mao Zedong thwarted Lin Biao's coup”), in Zhang Yufeng et al., Mao Zedong yishi, p. 221. Also see the recollections of the eyewitnesses, Lin Liheng (Lin Biao's daughter), Liu Jichun (deputy head of the Security Section of Unit 8341), Zhang (Lin Biao's bodyguard), Chen (Lin's bodyguard), Li Wenpu (Lin's head bodyguard), Jiang Zuoshou (commander of the Second Battalion of Unit 8341), and Yu Rentang (deputy commander of the same battalion), in Shao Yihai, “Lianhe Jiandui” de fumo, pp. 270–383.

42 Lin Qingshan, Lin Biao zhuan, p. 848. On the night of Lin's flight, Unit 8341 troops occupied and searched Lin's residences both at Beidaihe and Maojiawan. Ibid. p. 879; Li Zhisui, Private Life, p. 539.

43 Ye Yonglie, Ye Yonglie caifang shouji, pp. 83–85.

44 Renmin ribao, 9 June 1994, p. 1.

45 Pin, He, “Jiang Zemin hou zhi jun zhong shili” (“Jiang Zemin is cultivating personal influence in the army with handsome rewards”), Zhongshi zhoukan (China Times Weekly), No. 129 (1994), pp. 11–13.Google Scholar

46 Wensi, Xia, “Jiang Zemin bu zuo Hua Guofeng di er” (“Jiang Zemin does not want to be another Hua Guofeng”), Kaifang (Open Magazine), No. 94 (October 1994), p. 11.Google Scholar

47 “Mao zhuxi a, women yongyuan huainian nin” (“Chairman Mao ah, we will miss you forever”), published under the collective authorship of Unit 8341, in Women zai Mao zhuxi shenbian (We Were at the Side of Chairman Mao) (Shanghai: Renmin chubanshe, 1977), pp. 114–17.

48 Zhi, Gao, “Jiang Qing wo zhineng guan bange” (“I can only control half of Jiang Qing”), in Quan, Yanchi (ed.), Lingxiu lei (The Leader's Tears) (Beijing: Qiushi chubanshe, 1989), pp. 100–101.Google Scholar

49 Quan Yanchi, Zouxia shentan de Mao Zedong, p. 54.

50 Ibid.

51 Ibid. pp. 49–50; Zhang Muqi, “Laotou er jiu shi Mao Zedong,” pp. 49, 55.

52 Qiao Jinwang, “Lao Qiao a,” p. 429.

53 Xizhen, Jing, Zai Peng zong shenbian: jingwei canmou huiyi, 1950–1966 (At the Side of Marshal Peng: The Memoir of His Security Staff Aide, 1950–1966) (Chengdu: Sichuan renmin chubanshe, 1979), p. 77.Google Scholar

54 Xizhen, Jing, Gensui Peng zong (Accompanying Commander-in-Chief Peng)(Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe, 1984), pp. 76–77.Google Scholar

55 Mao zhuxi guanhuai jingwei zhanshi xue wenhua, pp. 11–13. This account is corroborated by Li Zhisui in his autobiography, Private Life, p. 277.

56 “Mao zhuxi a,” pp. 114—17; “Wang Tung-hsing - The head of Peiping's undercover agents,” Issues & Studies, Vol. XII, No. 8 (August 1976), p. 95; Li Zhisui, Private Life, pp. 483–35.

57 “Wang Tung-hsing,” p. 94.

58 He Pin, “Jiang Zemin de tebie zhuli,” p. 73.

59 Li Ziyu, “Hua Guofeng guandi dianshiji shiqie ji”, pp. 17–18.

60 Zhong Guofeng, “Zhongnanhai juemi wenjian shiqie an,” pp. 14–16.

61 Li Zhisui, Private life, p. 476.