Xu Ya (politician)

He engaged in progressive student movements from a young age. In 1927, he entered the secondary division of St. Francis Xavier's College [zh] in Shanghai, and in 1928, he was admitted to Suzhou High School. While pursuing his studies, he co-established the "Social Science Research Society" alongside Hu Sheng (Xiang Zhiti), Wu Dakun [zh], and others, and engaged in discussions regarding Chinese social history.^[2]

In September 1933, Xu Ya became a member of the Communist Youth League of China, initially serving on the Suzhou Special Branch Committee, and then holding positions as inspector, head of the Organization Department, acting secretary, and secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Youth League. In November 1935, he joined the Chinese Communist Party.^[3] In 1936, he was apprehended in the British concession in Shanghai, where he persisted in his role as secretary of the Youth League branch while incarcerated. Subsequent to his release in 1941, he was employed in the Jiangnan Office of the New Fourth Army before relocating to the anti-Japanese stronghold in northern Jiangsu. He held several positions, including inspector of the Yanfu District Party Committee, Party Secretary of Huaian County, Political Commissar of the County Armed Forces, and secretary of the rectification teams for both the CCP Yanfu Regional and Northern Jiangsu Regional Committees. Subsequently, he held the positions of deputy secretary of the Party School of the Northern Jiangsu Party Committee, member and deputy head of the Organization Department of the CCP Huaihai Regional Committee, and secretary of the Longhai Railway Committee, while also serving as deputy director of the Longhai East Railway Administration.^[4]

Following the Second Sino-Japanese War, Xu returned to the Huaihai Regional Party Committee, where he participated in guerrilla warfare in northern Suqian and eastern Sihong, furthermore holding the position of Party Secretary of Subei County. In October 1947, he was designated as the chairman of the Organization Department of the Huaihai Regional Committee. In July 1948, he assumed the position of deputy secretary of the Party School of the Central China Bureau. Subsequent to the People's Liberation Army's crossing of the Yangtze River in 1949, he was designated as the deputy secretary of the Suzhou Regional Committee of the CCP.^[5]

Following the liberation of Fuzhou on August 17, 1949, Xu was designated Vice Mayor, overseeing municipal operations, and ascended to the position of Mayor in July 1950.^[6][7]

Subsequently, Xu occupied several significant roles, including Secretary of the CCP Fuzhou Municipal Committee [zh], deputy director of the Fujian Provincial Planning Commission, and later Vice Governor of Fujian Province, while concurrently serving as Director of the Planning Commission and Director of the Provincial Forestry Department.^[8] He additionally held the position of Alternate Secretary of the CCP Fujian Provincial Committee and Director of the Provincial Agricultural and Forestry Office. In 1975, he assumed the role of Vice Chairman of the Fujian Revolutionary Committee and subsequently served as Party Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Committee. Subsequent to the collapse of the "Gang of Four," he persisted in his roles as Party Secretary and Vice Governor of Fujian Province. In 1982, he was designated as an advisor to the Provincial Party Committee.^[9][10]

Throughout his career, Xu Ya significantly contributed to the advancement of agriculture, forestry, and water resources in Fujian Province. He was especially recognized for his advocacy of hybrid rice production, for which he was honored with a national award from the State Science and Technology Commission and the State Agricultural Commission for excellence in the spread of agricultural technology. Xu served as a delegate to the 8th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and as a deputy to the 5th National People's Congress.^[9] He died in Shanghai on November 19, 1982.^[1]