Chang Hsiu-chu

China

Nothing is known of the early career of Chang Hsiu-chu, but by thé early 1950’s he was a labor official of some prominence. He was first identified in early 1951, as a deputy director of the Education and Culture Department of the All-China Federation of Labor (ACFL). At the important Seventh Trade Union Congress in May 1953, Chang served as a deputy secretary-general of the congress and at the close of the sessions was chosen for membership on the Executive Committee of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the new name for the ACFL. Two years later (August 1955), he was elevated to membership on both the ACFTU Presidium and Secretariat, the two organs charged with managing the work of the Federation when the Executive Committee is not in session. Concurrently with these posts, he also served from 1953 to 1956 as the head of the ACFTU Propaganda Department. On the eve of the Eighth Trade Union Congress, Chang wrote an article entitled “Trade unions are an important force in socialist revolution and socialist construction,” which appeared in the JMJP of November 30, 1957. Two days later the Eighth Congress opened, with Chang serving as a member of the Congress Presidium (steering committee). At the close of the meetings, he was re-elected to membership on the ACFTU Executive Committee, Presidium, and Secretariat. As Chang advanced in rank within the Trade Union Federation, he was called upon to represent it within other organizations or to attend conferences requiring the presence of labor leaders. For example, he was named as a representative of the ACFTU to the Second National Committee of the CPPCC in December 1954, and when the Third National Committee was formed (1959-1964), he again served as an ACFTU delegate. Also in December 1954 he represented the labor organization at the Second National Conference of the Sino-Soviet Friendship Association. From March 1956 to April 1959, Chang served as a member of the Study (hsueh-hsi) Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, a committee responsible for stimulating the study of Party doctrines through the holding of special meetings and short-term courses; presumably Chang’s assignment was to promote such activities within the trade union organization. Later in 1956 he was given a somewhat similar task in another field when he was named as a vicechairman of the newly formed preparatory committee charged with “disseminating scientific and technical information” to workers. In addition to these positions, from the mid-1950’s Chang was a frequent participant in national conferences of “advanced” workers. To cite two random but typical examples, he served as a deputy secretary-general both for a conference of industrial and communications workers in October 1959 and for another of cultural and educational workers in June 1960. He also lent his name to various special committees as, for example, the Preparatory Committee for Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the May Fourth Movement, an ad hoc group set up in April 1959. In late 1962 Chang’s career came to an abrupt turning point. In November 1962 he was named as a deputy director of the State Council’s Agriculture and Forestry Office, a highly important office headed by Politburo member T’an Chen-Iin and charged with supervising and coordinating the work of several ministries. One month later, because he had been “transferred in his work,” Chang was removed as one of the secretaries of the ACFTU Secretariat, the critically important organ that runs the ACFTU on a day-to-day basis. Thus, though he retains his membership on the ACFTU Executive Committee and Presidium, it is clear that Chang’s days as a top labor leader are behind him. As already noted, during the period from 1954 to 1964, Chang served on the National Committee of the CPPCC as a representative of the Federation of Trade Unions. By the time the Fourth Committee was organized in late 1964, however, he had changed to new work and hence was selected for membership on the National Committee as a representative of the “peasants.” And, when the committee met for its first session in December 1964-January 1965, Chang served as a member of the presidium (steering committee).

Chang Hsiu-chu

Edit Profile

politician

Background

Little is known about his background.

Career

Nothing is known of the early career of Chang Hsiu-chu, but by thé early 1950’s he was a labor official of some prominence. He was first identified in early 1951, as a deputy director of the Education and Culture Department of the All-China Federation of Labor (ACFL). At the important Seventh Trade Union Congress in May 1953, Chang served as a deputy secretary-general of the congress and at the close of the sessions was chosen for membership on the Executive Committee of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the new name for the ACFL. Two years later (August 1955), he was elevated to membership on both the ACFTU Presidium and Secretariat, the two organs charged with managing the work of the Federation when the Executive Committee is not in session. Concurrently with these posts, he also served from 1953 to 1956 as the head of the ACFTU Propaganda Department. On the eve of the Eighth Trade Union Congress, Chang wrote an article entitled “Trade unions are an important force in socialist revolution and socialist construction,” which appeared in the JMJP of November 30, 1957. Two days later the Eighth Congress opened, with Chang serving as a member of the Congress Presidium (steering committee). At the close of the meetings, he was re-elected to membership on the ACFTU Executive Committee, Presidium, and Secretariat.

As Chang advanced in rank within the Trade Union Federation, he was called upon to represent it within other organizations or to attend conferences requiring the presence of labor leaders. For example, he was named as a representative of the ACFTU to the Second National Committee of the CPPCC in December 1954, and when the Third National Committee was formed (1959-1964), he again served as an ACFTU delegate. Also in December 1954 he represented the labor organization at the Second National Conference of the Sino-Soviet Friendship Association.

From March 1956 to April 1959, Chang served as a member of the Study (hsueh-hsi) Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, a committee responsible for stimulating the study of Party doctrines through the holding of special meetings and short-term courses; presumably Chang’s assignment was to promote such activities within the trade union organization. Later in 1956 he was given a somewhat similar task in another field when he was named as a vicechairman of the newly formed preparatory committee charged with “disseminating scientific and technical information” to workers. In addition to these positions, from the mid-1950’s Chang was a frequent participant in national conferences of “advanced” workers. To cite two random but typical examples, he served as a deputy secretary-general both for a conference of industrial and communications workers in October 1959 and for another of cultural and educational workers in June 1960. He also lent his name to various special committees as, for example, the Preparatory Committee for Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the May Fourth Movement, an ad hoc group set up in April 1959.

In late 1962 Chang’s career came to an abrupt turning point. In November 1962 he was named as a deputy director of the State Council’s Agriculture and Forestry Office, a highly important office headed by Politburo member T’an Chen-Iin and charged with supervising and coordinating the work of several ministries. One month later, because he had been “transferred in his work,” Chang was removed as one of the secretaries of the ACFTU Secretariat, the critically important organ that runs the ACFTU on a day-to-day basis. Thus, though he retains his membership on the ACFTU Executive Committee and Presidium, it is clear that Chang’s days as a top labor leader are behind him.

As already noted, during the period from 1954 to 1964, Chang served on the National Committee of the CPPCC as a representative of the Federation of Trade Unions. By the time the Fourth Committee was organized in late 1964, however, he had changed to new work and hence was selected for membership on the National Committee as a representative of the “peasants.” And, when the committee met for its first session in December 1964-January 1965, Chang served as a member of the presidium (steering committee).

Membership

Chang’s work, particularly in the labor movement, took him abroad on seven occasions between 1952 and 1961. A brief summary follows:

1952 Member of a delegation to “comfort” Chinese troops in North Korea, October.

1955 Member of an ACFTU delegation led by Liu Ning-i to Yugoslavia, September-October.

Chief of a trade union delegation to East Germany for May Day.

Attended the Fourth Congress of Polish Trade Unions, April.

Member of a delegation led by Liu Ch’ang-sheng to the 12th Congress of the “AllSoviet Union of Trade Unions,” March.

Chief of a trade union delegation to Indonesia to attend the Third National Congress of the Indonesian Central Organizations of Trade Unions, August-September.

Chief of an ACFTU delegation to Moscow to attend May Day celebrations, April- May.

Until 1959, Chang’s assignments were almost exclusively concerned with labor activities. From that time, however, he began to widen his field of activities. In 1959-1960 he received two assignments in organizations subordinate to the State Council: he was named a member of the Physical Culture and Sports Commission in September 1959 and a member of the Sparetime Education Committee in January 1960. Then in August 1960 he was named a member of the National Committee of the All-China

Federation of Literary and Art Circles at the close of the Third Congress of this organization.

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Chang Hsiu-chu

Background

Career

Membership

Born

Nationality

Ethnicity

Political Party

Career

1953

1954 - 1964

1956 - 1959

1962