Zhao Ziyang was a prominent Chinese politician who served as the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party from 1987 until 1989. He was known for his reformist views and efforts to modernize China's economy, advocating for market-oriented policies and greater political openness. His leadership coincided with significant changes in China, including the push for economic reforms. Zhao's political career ended dramatically after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, where he supported the students' calls for political reform. Following the government's crackdown on the protests, he was placed under house arrest and expelled from the party. Zhao Ziyang's legacy remains a subject of discussion in the context of China's political history.