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China Perspective: Inside the myth of Zhou Enlai

Our column “China Perspective” is written by authors from the People’s Republic of China. This week focuses on the myth of Zhou Enlai: why China’s most revered political figure to this day was at once a moderating statesman, Mao’s loyal executor, and a master of political staging.

08. January 2026
China's former Prime Minister Zhou Enlai together with Mao Zedong during the first National People's Congress in 1954.

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Last updated: 08. January 2026