The Crisis Deepens } 509
cooperate, leaving the SUP in an even worse state than had it not issued the
orders.^9 Gorbachev had also attended the GDR National Day celebration, and
there was a sharp confrontation between him and Honecker over the need for
reform. Gorbachev left the East German leader with the warning that “Those
who are late [in reforming] will be punished by life itself.”^10 It was thus clear to
the SUP that if they resorted to force, they would be on their own and without
Soviet backup. When news spread that the demonstrators at Leipzig had not
met violent repression, similar protests erupted around the country. The dam
holding back popular anger burst. On October 18, Honecker resigned and was
replaced by Egon Krenz, an SUP leader willing to negotiate with GDR civil
society. Xinhua did not comment on Honecker’s removal, but CCP Secretary
General Jiang Zemin sent Krenz a message of congratulations.^11 Three weeks
later, on November 9, the Berlin Wall opened and the final disintegration of
the GDR began.
Czechoslovakia was next. Again, CCP efforts to uphold communist dic-
tatorship came to naught. Under the impact of Gorbachev’s perestroika,
the first protest demonstrations occurred in Prague in 1988 and early 1989.
They were easily dispersed by police. Petitions demanding sweeping political
reforms and an end to censorship circulated during the summer of 1989. But it
was the trauma of the GDR that sparked uprising in Czechoslovakia. During
August and September, GDR citizens camped at the FRG embassy in Prague
demanding transit to West Germany. After resisting for months, the Czech
government finally acceded to these demands, and trainloads of German
freedom-seekers began to move west. Czech citizens watched on local and
foreign television the events associated with the deepening crisis of the East
German regime.
A flurry of Chinese delegation diplomacy attempted to bolster Czechoslovak
communist resolve. In early September, Czechoslovak Minister of Defense
Milán Václavík made a visit to China. Václavík and Chinese Defense Minister
Qin Jiwei discussed “matters of common concern.”^12 Xinhua did not elaborate
further. A delegation from the State Bank of Czechoslovakia came to China
later the same month. Chinese leaders had more than economic advice.
Regarding the correct relation between opening and development, Li Peng told
the Czechoslovaks, “We should be on the alert against infiltration and sub-
version plotted by some Western countries.” The Czech bankers re-endorsed
the 6.4 “quelling of counterrevolutionary rebellion” and noted the “common
interests of the Czechoslovak and Chinese Communist Parties in safeguard-
ing the socialist system.”^13 PLA Deputy Chief of Staff Xu Xin arrived in Prague
on October 28 after a visit to East Germany. Xu met with Czechoslovakia’s
president, the minister of defense, and the chief of the General Staff. Finally,
Czech Foreign Minister Jaromír Johanes made a five-day visit to China on
November 1–5 to discuss the state of reform in the two countries. “The two
countries share identical or similar views on important international issues,”