Recently, the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping’s translator, Gao Zhikai, found himself in hot water during an interview with Peninsula TV in early August. He faced criticism for his responses when questioned about topics such as the Chinese Communist Party’s dictatorship, Xi Jinping, and Qin Gang, sparking widespread discussions.
In a recent video posted on Weibo on August 26, Gao Zhikai mentioned that his interview with Peninsula TV had triggered a significant amount of feedback and even led to official summoning by authorities.
Gao revealed that the authorities had approached him to inquire about the specifics of the interview. In his video, he defended his viewpoints during the interview, insisting that each of his opinions was valid. He maintained that he stood his ground even in the face of challenging questioning during the “trial-like” interview.
Expressing his discontent with the authorities’ actions, Gao seemingly took a veiled swipe by saying, “If you think you can do better than Gao Zhikai, then go ahead. If you think you can’t, then support me to continue.”
Gao Zhikai, currently serving as the vice president of the China Globalization Think Tank (CCG), had previously worked as Deng Xiaoping’s English translator in the 1980s.
During the Peninsula TV interview on August 10, host Mehdi Hasan engaged in a heated debate with Gao Zhikai on topics such as the Chinese Communist Party’s dictatorship, the disappearance of Chinese ministers, and the suppression of dissidents. Gao appeared to struggle to respond effectively to Hasan’s sharp questions. Clips from the interview exposing contradictions in Gao’s statements quickly circulated online.
In one segment of the interview, Katrina Rong, a senior analyst at the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) now living in exile in the UK, put Gao Zhikai on the spot with a challenging question. She asked Gao to showcase freedom of speech in China by criticizing Xi Jinping and the Chinese government for their two most significant mistakes in the past five years, even suggesting a comparison to Winnie the Pooh if necessary.
Gao’s response focused on the need for more efforts in addressing China’s aging population and declining birth rates, sidestepping the direct criticism of Xi Jinping. Hasan later pressed Gao on whether Xi Jinping should be held responsible for inadequately addressing the aging population issue, leading Gao to shift the blame to the entire Chinese government.
Gao Zhikai’s evasiveness in discussing Xi Jinping and his response regarding the disappearance of former high-ranking Chinese officials like Qin Gang left both guests and viewers amused during the interview.
Regarding the missing officials, Gao mentioned that Qin Gang, someone he considered a close friend for over 20 years, had been implicated in corruption. When pressed about Qin Gang’s whereabouts, Gao’s vague responses left room for speculation, suggesting he was swiftly dealt with and hinting at a somber outcome.
Prior to his recent revelation of being summoned by authorities, Gao Zhikai had previously praised Xi Jinping during an interview with Ming Pao in honor of Deng Xiaoping’s 120th birthday. He expressed agreement with official media’s portrayal of Xi Jinping as a “reformer” and downplayed any critiques, attributing significant contributions to Xi without any reservations.
However, during the Third Plenum in July, an extensive Xinhua article titled “Reformer Xi Jinping” aimed at positioning Xi as a successor to Deng Xiaoping was abruptly taken down, raising questions about Xi’s actual standing in Chinese politics.