Chinese statesman and military officer, serving as the first premier of the People’s Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 January 1976. He studied in many countries such as Japan, France, England and Germany. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1921 and returned to China in 1924.
In 1925, in Tianjin, he married Deng Yingchao, a leader of the student organisation. She later became an important leader of the Chinese Communist Party. The couple had no children, but they adopted many orphans of “martyrs of the revolution”. One of these children was the later Premier Li Peng.
Zhou was always loyal to Mao and also enjoyed Mao’s trust during the Cultural Revolution. Zhou was responsible for ensuring that the economy and thus the livelihood of the people continued to run as smoothly as possible. His loyalty to Mao was also based on his deep concern that China could fall apart again and sink into war.
He facilitated the establishment of relations with the West in the 1970s. In February 1972, he welcomed American President Richard Nixon on his visit to China and signed the Shanghai Communiqué with him.
Zhou was first diagnosed with bladder cancer in November 1972. The medical team reported that he has a 80 to 90 per cent chance of recovery if treated immediately, but medical treatment for top party members had to be approved by Mao. Mao ordered that Zhou and his wife should not learn of the diagnosis, no surgery should be performed and no further tests should be done. The following year, Zhou had significant bleeding in his urine. After pressure from other Chinese leaders who had learned of Zhou’s condition, Mao finally ordered surgical treatment in June 1974, but metastases had already formed in other organs. Zhou Enlai died on 8 January 1976 in Beijing at age 77.
Link to Wikipedia biography