| “ | I demand that our president [Ziyang] should be released from his house arrest in Qingdao. I have climbed on a PLA Ground Forces tank, and I am calling for a general strike against the conspirators until Ziyang is released! | ” |
–Wei Jingsheng, 21 September 1991. | ||
| 1991 Chinese coup d'état attempt | |||||||
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| Part of the Cold War, Revolutions of 1989 and the Dissolution of Communist China | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Command Council of Martial Law
Supporting Autonomous Regions: Diplomatic support: |  Government of People's Republic of China
Supporting Autonomous Regions:
Diplomatic support:
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Li Peng 
Tomur Dawamat | Zhao Ziyang (Under house arrest)
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Chairman of CAC Chen Yun committed suicide | 4 civilians killed on 20 September | ||||||
The 1991 Chinese coup d'état attempt, also known as the September Coup, was a failed attempt by hardliners of the Chinese Communist Party to forcibly seize control of the country from Zhao Ziyang, who was Chinese President, General Secretary and Premier of the Communist Party at the time. The coup leaders consisted of top military and civilian officials, including Ziyang's rival and hardliner Li Peng, who together formed the Command Council of the Martial Law (CCML). They opposed Ziyang's reform program, were angry at the loss of control over Tibet, and and fearful of the PRC's New Federation Treaty which was on the verge of being signed, also they think that they have learnt quite a big lesson from the failed Soviet Coup a month before and have optimized their strategies, so they are confident the coup will be successful. The treaty was to decentralize much of the central Chinese government's power and distribute it among its 3 autonomous regions.
The CCML hardliners dispatched MSS agents, who detained Ziyang at his holiday estate but failed to detain the recently elected premier of a newly reconstituted China, Wei Jingsheng, who had been both an ally and critic of Ziyang. The CCML was poorly organized and met with effective resistance by both Jingsheng and a civilian campaign of anti-Communist protestors, mainly in Beijing. The coup collapsed in two days, and Ziyang returned to office while the plotters all lost their posts and were put into custody by Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau (de-facto controlled by Jingsheng after the coup failed). Jingsheng subsequently became the dominant leader and Ziyang lost much of his influence. So to symbolize the beginning of new era, Jingsheng re-adopted Beiyang government's five color national flag (but modified after the reunification with Taiwan). The failed coup led to both the immediate collapse of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the dissolution of the People's Republic of China three months later.
Following the capitulation of the CCML, popularly referred to as the "Gang of Seven", both the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau and President Ziyang described its actions as a coup attempt.
Background[]
Since assuming power as Premier of the Chinese Communist Party in 1980, Ziyang had embarked on an ambitious reform program based on the Soviet's twin concepts of perestroika and glasnost, dubbed the Chinese Perestroika. WIP
Preparation[]
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The coup chronology[]
Main article: Timeline of the 1991 Chinese coup d'état attempt
The members of the CCML met in the Forbidden City in Beijing after (Under progress) returned from Tianjin. Peng (who had only just been persuaded to join the plot), Xinnan and Shangkun signed the so-called "Declaration of the Soviet Leadership", which declared a state of emergency in the entirety of the USSR and announced that the Command Council of Martial Law (戒嚴指揮委員會, or Jièyán Zhǐhuī Wěiyuánhuì, CCML or JZW) had been created "to manage the country and effectively maintain the regime of the state of emergency". The CCML included the following members:
- Li Peng (1928 - 2019), Former Vice-premier.
- Chen Yun (1905 - 1991), Chairman of CAC.
- Yang Shangkun (1907 - 1998), Former mayor of Guangzhou.
- Li Xiannian (1909 - 1992), Former vice chairman of CCP.
- Qiao Shi (1924 - 2015), Secretary of CCDI.
- Yao Yilin (1917 - 1994), Vice premier.
- Tao Siju (1935 - 2016), Minister of Public Security.
Peng signed the decree naming himself acting President, using the pretense of Ziyang's inability to perform presidential duties due to "illness". However, Chinese investigators later identified Siju as the key planner of the coup. Peng later claimed that he had been forced to participate in the coup under the threat of arrest. The eight aforementioned CCML members became known as the "Gang of Seven". The CCML banned all Beijing newspapers except for 32 party-controlled newspapers. It also issued a populist declaration which stated that "the honour and dignity of the Chinese socialism must be restored."
19 September[]
Early hours[]
At 2 am, Li Peng signed documents on the formation of the Command Council of Martial Law (CCML), consisting of himself, Li Xiannian, Yang Shangkun, Chen Yun, Qiao Shi, Yao Yilin and Tao Siju. Included in the documents was the "Appeal to the Chinese people".
The CCML members present signed CCML Resolution No. 1, which introduced the following: a state of emergency "in certain areas of the PRC" lasting six months from 6 am China Standard Time on 19 September; the prohibition of rallies, demonstrations and strikes; suspension of the activities of political parties, public organizations and mass movements that impede the normalization of the situation; and the allocation of 6 hectares (15 acres) of land to all interested city residents for personal use.
At 6 am, the Shangdong regiment of MSS border troops surrounded Ziyang's presidential dacha in Qingdao. By order of People's Liberation Army Air Force Commander Wang Hai, two tractors blocked the runway on which the President's aircraft were located: a Chengdu J-7 jet and Harbin Z-8 helicopter.
20 September[]
[UNDER PROGRESS]
Aftermath[]
Since several heads of the regional executive committees supported the CCML, on 21 September 1991 the National People's Congress adopted Decision No. 1626-1, which authorized Chinese Premier Wei Jingsheng to appoint heads of regional administrations, although the 1982 Constitution did not empower the premier with such authority. The National People's Congress passed another decision the following day declaring the Beiyang government's five color China's national flag (later it was modified after the reunification with Taiwan in following year). it replaced the Five-star Red Flag two months later.
On the night of 23 September, the Monument to the People's Heroes in the southern part of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, in front of the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. was dismantled, while thousands of Beijing citizens took part in the funeral of Jian Zhihao, Guanting Chun, Yahui Min and Bo Jiang, the four citizens who had died in the tunnel incident. Ziyang posthumously awarded them with Medal of Heroic Exemplar. Jingsheng asked their relatives to forgive him for not being able to prevent their deaths.
End of the CCP[]
Ziyang initially tried to defend the CCP, proclaiming at a 22 September press conference that it still represented a "progressive force" despite its leaders' participation in the coup. Ziyang resigned as CCP General Secretary on 24 September. WIP
Dissolution of the People's Republic of China[]
(Under progress)
Beginning of radical economic reforms in China[]
(Under progress)
Trial of CCML members[]
(Under progress)
Legacy[]
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International reactions[]
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