Xiang Nan

Xiang Nan (November 1918 – November 10, 1997, Chinese: 项南), a native of Liancheng, Fuzhou, Fujian, is a Chinese politician. He successively served as Secretary of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, Secretary of the East China Bureau of the Communist Youth League, Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, First Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and First Political Commissar of the Fujian Military District.^[1]

Biography

Xiang Nan originated from an agrarian family. Influenced from a young age by his revolutionary father, Xiang Yunnian, he held the position of junior Pioneers' leader in Wenfang village. He became a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1938 and, after traversing several resistance locations during the onset of the Second Sino-Japanese War, reached the New Fourth Army Headquarters in Yancheng in the spring of 1941.^[2] In September 1941, he was designated as the inaugural Head of the Finance Section of the Jianyang County government, significantly contributing to the establishment of anti-Japanese governance and the dismantling of the Japanese-imposed economic embargo. He additionally held the positions of Secretary and Publicity Minister of the Fudong County CCP Committee.^[3]

During the Chinese Civil War, Xiang Nan served as the Finance Director of the Salt-Fu 5th and 11th Sub-districts, and in February 1949, he was tasked with establishing new revolutionary zones in central Anhui.^[4]

Subsequent to 1949, he occupied many roles, including Secretary of the Anhui Provincial Youth League, Secretary of the East China Bureau of the Youth League, and Secretary of the Central Youth Affairs Secretariat. He subsequently returned to Fujian, assuming the roles of First Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee and Political Commissar of the Fujian Provincial Military District.^[5] During his tenure as head of the Fujian Provincial CCP Committee, he promoted the utilization of terrestrial and maritime resources, supervising significant infrastructure initiatives including Xiamen International Airport, Shuikou Hydropower Station, and the implementation of automatic exchange telephone systems—altering the province's developmental framework. Since 1980, he occupied significant positions such as Provincial CCP Secretary, Chairman of the Fujian Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee, and Military Commissar, and was elected to the 12th CCP Central Committee and the 6th National People's Congress.^[6][7]

In 1984, Xiang advocated for the expansion of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone to include the entire island and supported the opening of additional coastal cities, both of which received immediate approval from the central government. Subsequently, he held the position of President of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and various other social organizations.^[8] He was elected to the Central Advisory Commission at the 13th CCP Congress and served as a delegate at the 14th and 15th CCP Congresses. Xiang Nan died in Beijing on November 10, 1997.^[9]

Family

He is survived by his wife, Wang Zhixin, a retired cadre and former Director of the Education, Science, Culture and Health Committee of the Fujian Provincial People's Congress, and his daughter Xiang Xiaomi, a member of the China Writers Association. His father, Xiang Yunnian [zh], was an early member of the CCP and a participant in Zhou Enlai’s Central Special Branch.^[10]