@Meordal, where would Liu Shaoqi be in a Zhou chairmanship?
In 1 word : alive
I decided to kill Mao in 1960, as a solution to save most of the individuals purged or killed due to the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. In OTL, Liu Shaoqi was appointed Chairman (President) of the People's Republic of China, China's de jure head of state, in 1959. It wouldn’t change ITTL, except that he won’t die under harsh treatment and torture in 1969.
I can imagine him getting two presidential mandates until 1969. He would be the third most powerful man in China, behind only Chairman Zhou Enlai and Premier Deng Xiaoping. Then he will stay in the Politburo and support them against the Gang of Four until his death during the 80´s, while pushing for economic and political reforms.
Dual party-national administration is very annoying so many positions to fill. I am still trying to compile a good list of potential chairmen/chairwomen of the People's Republic of China, but don’t worry Liu Shaoqi didn’t die.
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