Peng Chong

Peng Chong (; March 1915 – October 18, 2010 ), born Xu Tieru , was a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee (1969–87) and its politburo (1977–82); and Secretary General of the National People's Congress between 1988 and 1992.

Pre-1949 Peng Chong, originally named Xu Tieru , was born in Zhangzhou, Fujian in 1915. Unlike most CCP leaders of his generation, he graduated from middle school, and by the age of 15 was active in underground communist activities in his home county. As the leader of the local student movement, he joined the Communist Youth League in 1933, and the Party a year later, eventually rising to the post of local Organization Department Director. In 1938, Peng was a regimental political officer in the central Jiangsu New Fourth Army, a district administrator (1938–39) in Wuxian, and back to being a regimental cadre in 1940–42 in the 52nd Regiment of the 18th Brigade, 6th Division, under Tan Zhenlin and Rao Shoukun. At the close of the war, Peng was county CCP Secretary in Taizhou (1945).

During the post-war reorganization, the New Fourth Army was merged into the East China Field Army and, later, the Third Field Army. In 1947–49, Peng served as deputy political commissar for the 6th Division, under Rao Shushi.

Post-1949 Peng Chong emerged from the civil war as provincial government deputy secretary general,

National affairs Although Peng was nominally 3rd CCP Secretary of Shanghai, his two nominal superiors' national-level responsibilities left him as de facto boss. As a reward for his loyalty and efficiency in purging Shanghai, he was elevated to the politburo in August 1977. Peng added a National People's Congress (NPC) Vice Chairmanship to his titles (1978–87), and was formally named Shanghai 1st Secretary in early 1979, due to Su Zhenhua's death, and mayor at the end of the year. He remained affiliated with Shanghai until 1981, when he was succeeded in the party and state roles by Chen Guodong and Wang Daohan, respectively. Among his top priorities was establishing a merit-based education system.