Ostaran Times

[Hadash]

Ostaran Times

---

---

President Guo Min Cheng dies
By: Lucy Yeung
Published: Dosa 11, 1587


President Guo Min Cheng was the longest serving head of state in the history of the United Republic of Tieguo.

---

Guo Min Cheng, President of the United Republic of Tieguo, has died today in Doungzhou, the Office of the Presidency has reported in an official statement.

Guo Min Cheng, age 84, was admitted to Doungzhou Military Hospital early this month for severe pneumonia and was later put on life support. President Guo, who had survived three cancers in recent years, remained in power however despite constant rumours of a transition of power inside the leadership of the Tieguonese Nationalist Party.

His supported viewed him as a strong and efficient ruler, who brough stability to the giant East Ostaran nation, introduced many administrative reforms and opened the country to foreign investment.

However, he was also viewed as an authoritarian leader who used draconian tactics to clamp down on free speech and any sign of dissent. Some of his political rivals were jailed without trial for decades and brought defamation lawsuits against journalists -both at home and abroad- for daring to stand up to him. Tieguo has been ruled by the Tieguonese Nationalist Party since 1519, in one of the longest one-party states of the region.

In late years, President Guo Min Cheng was considered rather a nominal leader, being daily affairs of the country in charge of younger Tieguonese leaders, such as Premier Jie Jong-Jian, Deputy Premier and Secretary of State Security Dong Mu Yuen, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Hwuei Shi Lai, or the First Secretary of the Tieguonese Nationalist Party Qiu Yu Zhao. However, President Guo had still a huge influenced and it is believed that his leadership was never questioned.

Guo Min Cheng became President of the United Republic of Tieguo in 1551, holding power for almost 36 years. Previously, he was appointed as General Secretary of the Tieguonese Nationalist Party in 1544, another office he also held until his death.

Premier Jie Jong-Jian, who is considered a likely successor of the deceased leader, declared in a statement that President Guo "passed away peacefully" and added that arrangements for the public to pay respects and funeral arrangements would be announced soon. Premier Jie also announced a three-week official mourning.

Guo Min Cheng was born in Qoulong in 1503, during the Tieguonese Civil War (1497-1519) from a family of militants of the Nationalist Party of Tieguo. In early life, after a brief career as diplomat in Akitsu and Severyane, Guo Min Cheng started his political career in 1537, when he was appointed Governor of Xianmeng. He served briefly as Secretary of Administrative Affairs (1540-1541), to be appointed General Secretary of the Nationalist Party of Tieuguo in 1544.

After the fall of Xun Huan Zhao in 1551, he was elected President of the United Republic. While there were not many expectations that his rule may last long, Guo Min Cheng was able to consolidate his power, enforcing a new policy which combinated market reforms, strengthenment of civilian rule, and political reforms aimed to consolidate the power of the Tieguonese Nationalist Party.

The next Tieguonese leader will be likely announced after a new party congress, which could be announced soon, experts believe. The last congress of the Tieguonese Nationalist Party was held in 1577.