Lu Keng Interview
Lu: In this lifetime I've had two occupations. One of them is being a reporter, and the other is being a criminal. I was a reporter, then a criminal. I became a reporter again, then a criminal again. Again I became a reporter, and then after that I again became a criminal. For the time being, I'm still a reporter. But I can't guarantee that in the future I won't become a criminal again.
Ku: I hope you won't! You've been in and out of prisons many times. Could you please explain why you were incarcerated?
Lu: I’ve been put in official prisons three times. In April of 1949, I launched an independent newspaper in Guangzhou called Tiandi Daily News [Heaven and Earth Daily News]. After operating for forty days, the newspaper was shut down by the local KMT [Nationalist Party] headquarters. At that time I was the newspaper’s publisher, so I was arrested. Therefore, the first time I was imprisoned it was in a KMT prison… Following my release I went to Tokyo and prepared to resurrect the newspaper. Consequently, the second time I was imprisoned was in 1949 [after returning to China]…in a Communist prison. This second time I stayed in prison until 1954. After getting out, and because of my personal acquaintance with Zhou Enlai, I was invited to join the united front and thus became a “democratic personage.” I participated in the Yunnan branch of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In 1957, during the “free airing of views,” I was invited to speak. I declined three times. The third time I explained that I had been out of prison for only a short time, and so was not familiar with their policies. If I were to say something wrong, they might take me to task. They assured me that nothing adverse would happen, for Chairman Mao had said, “Say all you know without reserve. Blame not the speaker, but take warning from his words. If you have made mistakes, correct them; if you have not made mistakes, then be wary of making them.” So I agreed to speak. They held a huge meeting at which I was the featured speaker. I talked about three main issues. First of all, I recommended that the Chinese Communist Party [CCP] should reconsider its attitude toward the United States and move from adversarial toward friendly relations. This met with thunderous applause. Secondly, I recommended that English should be learned in all colleges because learning Russian could not possibly help with modernization. The entire audience shouted out its approval and again applauded loudly. Thirdly, I recommended that the Chinese Communist Party should allow us veteran reporters to start a nongovernmental newspaper – there would be no harm in our putting on a rival show. The united front official who was presiding over the meeting said that this could be somewhat problematic, but the fact that I had brought up the topic was a good thing. Then the audience applauded again. On the following day a headline in the Yunnan Daily Newspaper read “Lu Keng’s Three Proposals, Calling for the Attention of Members of Democratic Parties and the Association of Industry and Commerce, are Cheered.”
…Unexpectedly, ten days later red banners appeared condemning the “anti-Communist, anti-Chinese people, anti-socialist, pro-American, anti-Soviet, right-wing Lu Keng.” This was a terrible situation. I was publicly denounced for nine months…. Then I was sentenced to ten years in prison and deprived of political rights for five years…. So this time I was imprisoned for ten years. It was an official prison, not an ordinary jail. After serving out my sentence, suddenly the Beijing Central Committee issued a document that was read out loud to me. It stated “Finding that Lu Keng’s counter-revolutionary potential is extremely great, therefore he is not fit to live in society. During the period of the Cultural Revolution he should continue to be kept under control in prison.” This time I was kept under control for an additional eight years. So it lasted for eighteen years….
Ku: You were imprisoned for speaking the truth, but you haven’t changed your attitude and have persevered in your original convictions?
Lu: Of course. For a reporter this is vital. If you don’t uphold your ideals and don’t tell the truth, then what is the point of being a reporter?
Ku: It can be said that your life serves as a witness to modern Chinese history. You will soon publish your memoirs. Could you please tell us something about the subject matter?
Lu: My book is entitled Lu Keng’s Reminiscences and Regrets. Why is it called Reminiscences and Regrets? The reason is that I have made many mistakes, especially in regard to women. I’ve made quite a few mistakes for which I’m very sorry. I’ve also made many political mistakes. For example, regarding Hu Yaobang’s fall from power -- the third indictment against Mr. Hu that led to his downfall. In 1987 the Central Committee of the CCP produced a document claiming that Hu had granted the “malicious” Lu Keng an interview during which he had revealed state secrets and had given Lu Keng free reign to attack CCP Political Bureau member Hu Qiaomu and Secretary Deng Liping of the Secretariat. This constituted the third indictment against Hu Yaobang…. Therefore, besides the regrets I have regarding my life, my greatest regret in terms of politics is having done a disservice to Hu Yaobang.
Ku: But in interviewing Hu Yaobang you were performing your duty as a reporter. Why do you feel that you have done a disservice to him?
Lu: Even though it was not I who ruined him, it was because of me that he was ruined. So with respect to the issue of Hu Yaobang, in my heart I feel that I am somewhat to blame. In some ways, I didn’t pay sufficient heed to protecting the General Secretary [Hu Yaobang]. . . .
Ku: As for the fall from power of Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang, representatives of the forces of reform, in your opinion what is the extent of the influence they still have upon Chinese political circles?
Lu: I feel that they will have some influence. Hu and Zhao both advocated reform and truly giving democracy to the people. Speaking from this perspective, this whole trend is still going forward. Although it seems that in China political reform has come to a standstill, it actually has not. For example, in the countryside as well as in some villages, to a certain degree democracy has begun to take root. As for the current situation, first of all I think it is undeniable that Hu and Zhao have left a comparatively good impression upon the general population. Secondly, among the intellectuals the impression is even more positive – the path of Hu and Zhao can lead China to the light. Thirdly, from an international perspective, the path of reform of Hu and Zhao is in accord with all major international trends. On the surface, this may not now be apparent; however, in terms of the overall pulse of society it will gradually become practical. Especially among the young people in their thirties and forties – once they get in power China will slowly move towards democracy.
Ku: In your opinion, for China to move toward a democratic government, what does it most urgently require? Of course, I realize that there is still a myriad of things that must be done, but could you please specify the most important thing?
Lu: The most important thing is to return to Zhao Ziyang’s espousal of the separation of party and state. Formerly, the separation of party and state was accomplished, but then this was reversed. China was originally going to pursue political reform – without political reform the country has no future.
Ku: You spent many years publishing magazines in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a place known for its freedom of the press. Do you think that freedom of the press will be restricted after Hong Kong returns to Chinese rule?
Lu: From the point of view of its political system, the Communist Party does not at all like the idea of a free press. There will be a shadow cast on the freedom of the press in Hong Kong. However, I am not very pessimistic, because there are a group of journalists with professional consciences who are trying to stick to the principle of freedom of the press. There will be a long process of struggle and adaptation. And there will not be an immediate result from this slow process. We need to take things slowly and watch carefully. My view is not to jump to conclusions right now.
Ku: Now we are at the end of our program, would you like to say something to our audience?
Lu: My name is Lu Keng, a. k. a. “Da Sheng” (loud voice). This is not a nickname, but a name given me by Mr. Yu Youren [one of the founders of the KMT] at my wedding in 1943. I currently live in San Francisco. If you have any questions to ask me, please do so through Radio Free Asia.
Source: Radio Free Asia