former State Councilor Liu Yandong, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, passed away in Beijing at the age of 81 on the afternoon of April 28. Liu Yandong had a deep connection with Hong Kong and Macau; she was the first female minister of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee and deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macau Coordinating Group. She made two visits to Hong Kong in 2004 and 2009. Liu Yandong's health had declined recently; her last public appearance was at a National Day reception in Beijing in September last year. Xinhua News Agency reported that Liu Yandong passed away at 2:53 PM Beijing time on April 28 due to illness, at the age of 81. She was described as an "outstanding Communist Party member of China, a tested loyal communist fighter, an outstanding leader in united front work, education, science and technology, healthcare, and women and children's work." Liu was born in November 1945 in Nantong, Jiangsu, and is the daughter of Liu Ruilong, former secretary-general of the Shanghai municipal committee and deputy minister of agriculture, placing her in the 'Red Second Generation.' She graduated from Tsinghua University's chemical engineering department and worked in the Communist Youth League of China in the 1980s, serving as the deputy secretary and secretary before becoming the vice chair and chair of the Chinese Committee for the Friendship with Foreign Countries. In 1991, Liu Yandong transferred to the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, becoming the vice minister and then minister in 2002, the first woman to hold this position. She also served as vice-chair of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and became a member of the Party and State leadership. In 2004, Liu Yandong visited Hong Kong for five days as minister of the United Front Work Department, attending and hosting the opening of the relic of the Buddha's finger at Xi'an Famen Temple in Hong Kong. During her visit, she met with local figures in Hong Kong, delivering speeches with a 16-word message to the Hong Kong people: "loyalty to the country is the root, unity is most important, development is the key, and self-improvement is essential." In 2009, Liu Yandong visited Hong Kong again to attend the opening ceremony of the East Asia Games. In 2012, Liu Yandong was re-elected as a member of the Political Bureau and became State Councilor, the fourth female vice premier since the founding of the PRC (the first three were Wu Guixian, Chen Muhua, and Wu Yi). In March 2018, at the age of 72, Liu retired from the post of vice premier.
Liu Yandong's career spanned various key roles in the Chinese government, from deputy minister to full minister of the United Front Work Department, deputy chair and chair of the Chinese Committee for the Friendship with Foreign Countries, to the United Front Work Department, her influence extended to education, healthcare, and women's issues. She also held significant positions during the leadership reshuffles of the CPC Central Committee and State Council, demonstrating her standing within the party and government. Liu Yandong’s visits to Hong Kong were notable as they solidified the connection between the central government and Hong Kong society, especially while emphasizing the importance of unity, economic development, and self-improvement for the region. Her passing marks the end of an era in Chinese politics, where her contributions were varied and impactful.