On the evening of March 30th, Hu Dehua, the son of former General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Yaobang, passed away at the age of 77. There was scarce official coverage from the Chinese Communist authorities and mainland media on this matter. Hu Dehua had close ties with elder figures in the liberal camp and previously held the position of Vice President of the magazine “Yan Huang Chun Qiu” before its restructuring.
According to a report from “Hong Chuan Rong Media,” a new media outlet under the magazine “China Ethnic Expo,” on March 31st, the editorial department received information from the funeral committee of Hu Dehua that he passed away on the evening of March 30th due to illness at the age of 77. Hu Dehua, the former head of the Software Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and son of Hu Yaobang, was well-known within certain circles.
“Hong Chuan Rong Media” was established in 2016, reflecting the Chinese Communist Party’s leader Xi Jinping’s emphasis on the use of “red resources” and telling stories that uphold the party’s ideology.
While there was little coverage from official Chinese Communist sources and mainland media, members of the public spontaneously spread the news of and mourned Hu Dehua’s passing.
On March 31st, a nurse from Beijing’s Century Altar Hospital, “Qin Xin Jian Dan’s Warm Hut,” posted on social media, stating, “I was shocked to learn that Brother Hu Dehua sadly suffered a sudden heart attack at 11 pm on the night of March 30, 2025, and passed away at the age of 77 at home. Hu Dehua, the third son of the late General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, HYB (Hu Yaobang), had served as head of the Software Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 1994, he founded Beijing Tailai Technology Co., Ltd., engaging in the development of software systems for finance, banking, and office use.”
Renowned author of the collection “Memories of Old Times and Thoughts on Hu,” Yi Qin, also expressed his condolences on hearing about Hu Dehua’s passing, stating, “I humbly offer my condolences with four pictures. May he rest in peace.”
Legal commentator and lawyer Fan Kaizhou posted on social media, “Just learned of Mr. Hu Dehua’s passing, I couldn’t help but remember the afternoon of May 19, 2019, when we, along with other alumni, visited the previous residence of Hu Yaobang under the company of Mr. Hu Dehua and General Yang Xiaoping (the son of General Yang Yong and a relative of Hu). The next day, the house was reclaimed, and Hu Yaobang’s belongings were entrusted to the Hu Yaobang Memorial Museum in Liuyang City, Hunan Province.”
Former Editor-in-Chief of “Yan Huang Chun Qiu,” Xu Qingquan, posted on his WeChat account today expressing shock at the news of Hu Dehua’s passing, saying it was “unbelievable and sorrowful.” He wished him a good journey and shared a set of photos taken by himself in tribute, including images of Hu Dehua speaking at the magazine’s New Year gathering in 2012 and 2013.
Hu Dehua, the third son of former General Secretary Hu Yaobang of the Chinese Communist Party, was born in Liuyang, Hunan in 1948. Beginning in 1986, he engaged in scientific research and served as the head of the Software Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 1994, he established Beijing Tailai Technology Co., Ltd., specializing in the development of software systems for finance, banking, and offices.
Having maintained close relationships with figures like Li Rui and Du Daozheng, prominent members of the Chinese Communist Party’s liberal camp, Hu Dehua has held the position of Vice President of the outspoken media outlet “Yan Huang Chun Qiu” magazine.
On July 17, 2016, “Yan Huang Chun Qiu” announced its cessation of publication. The Chairman, Du Daozheng, stated that the magazine was forcibly taken over by the authorities, likening their actions to the Cultural Revolution. Following discussions within the magazine’s committee, it was unanimously decided to cease publication with immediate effect. Any publications released under the name “Yan Huang Chun Qiu” subsequently are not affiliated with the original entity.