Former Chairman of the National People’s Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Wu Bangguo, passed away on October 8th in Beijing. His body was cremated on October 14th at the Baobao Mountain Cemetery in Beijing. State media reported that seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee and Vice President Han Zheng attended the cremation ceremony, with former party leader Hu Jintao reportedly sending a wreath. During Hu Jintao’s tenure, he was marginalized by members of the Jiang faction, while Wu Bangguo, belonging to the Jiang faction, promoted the “Five Not-To-Do’s,” including not implementing multi-party rotation in governance.
According to Xinhua News Agency, aside from Premier Li Keqiang who was on an official visit to Vietnam, all seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CCP attended Wu Bangguo’s farewell ceremony. The official media specifically mentioned that “Hu Jintao, who did not attend the ceremony in person, sent a wreath.”
Hu Jintao had previously been absent from the CCP’s “Eleven” concert and reception, likely due to his poor health. During the era of Hu Jintao, Jiang Zemin exerted influence and installed several confidants into the Politburo Standing Committee. Wu Bangguo held positions during Hu Jintao’s terms alongside notable figures like Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun, and Luo Gan in the first term, and Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, and Zhou Yongkang in the second term.
While holding the position of Chairman of the National People’s Congress, Wu Bangguo, although considered a rubber stamp, wielded significant power at the time. Due to Hu Jintao’s lack of assertiveness as general secretary, the politburo members each had their own “space.” Premier Wen Jiabao once openly advocated for universal values, despite being criticized for it being mere rhetoric or an action deemed implausible. He also warned against the resurgence of the Cultural Revolution in his final news conference at the two sessions he attended.
During Wu Bangguo’s time as Chairman of the National People’s Congress, he was accused of using the NPC to counter the “Hu-Wen” faction. Premier Wen Jiabao, a thorn in the Jiang faction’s side, was constantly targeted due to his reformist views that were deeply resented by the Jiang faction. As a result, Wu opposed Wen Jiabao on various significant policies.
Throughout his tenure, Wu Bangguo was most renowned for his “Five Not-To-Do’s” philosophy. In 2011, during the closing period of Hu Jintao’s leadership, Wu Bangguo proposed “not promoting the rotation of multi-party governance, not promoting ideological diversification, not fostering the separation of powers and bicameral system, not advocating for federalism, and not supporting privatization.”
It is argued that Xi Jinping’s “Seven Nos” policy has a clear lineage with Wu Bangguo’s “Five Not-To-Do’s.”
The “Seven Nos” were introduced shortly after Xi Jinping took office as a Central Committee document, listing seven so-called “erroneous trends” that must be opposed in universities, including discussions on universal values, press freedom, civil society, citizen rights, the party’s historical errors, the aristocratic bourgeoisie, and judicial independence.
Wu Bangguo’s “Five Not-To-Do’s” made the national people’s congress system of the CCP a true “voting machine.” As such, the “Five Not-To-Do’s” became Wu Bangguo’s “political legacy.” However, some analysts point out that the authoritarian nature of the CCP has always been consistent, as Deng Xiaoping had long stressed that the CCP does not promote parliamentary democracy, multi-party system, press freedom, or separation of powers.
Following Wu Bangguo’s passing, the CCP hailed him as an “outstanding revolutionary of the proletariat,” but overseas social media mocked him for his immense wealth. Over the years, scandals of corruption within Wu Bangguo’s family have been continually exposed.
During Jiang Zemin’s reign, under the slogan of “getting rich in silence,” reports emerged that the Wu Bangguo family amassed billions of yuan in assets.
Wu Bangguo’s older brother, Wu Bangjie, and younger brother, Wu Bangsheng, transformed from ordinary citizens to influential tycoons in the Shanghai Bund. Wu Bangsheng, in particular, delved into Shanghai’s real estate and construction sectors, amassing a substantial fortune.
Wu Bangguo’s son, Wu Lei, currently serves as the Party Secretary and Chairman of Shanghai Electric Group.