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Yang Si-De (born December 11th 1921 in Nansha County|Nansha, Tengzhou, Shandong) is a retired general of the People's Liberation Army, and served as Minister of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the CPC Central Committee. During this period, he followed the Communist Party's peaceful "One Country, Two Systems" policy to resolve the Taiwan sovereignty issue. For his pioneering work, and playing an active part in the great cause of the "Reunification of the Motherland", he recieved recognition and appreciation by former leaders such as Deng Xiaoping, Yang Shangkun and other party and state leaders.

Years of War
Yang Si-De was born on December 11th, 1921 in Nansha County|Nansha, Tengzhou, Shandong Province), to an ordinary peasant family farming for a living for generations. His parents are hard-working, simple, and illiterate peasants. Yang's parents scrimped and saved in the hopes that they could provide a brighter future for Yang. From childhood, Yang Si-de witnessed landlords and reactionary officials' oppression and exploitation of people, from private school to public schools, Yang Si-de studied hard, all the while continuing to accept new ideas of "the Enlightenment". In 1938, he joined the Eighth Route Army, and subsequently in the same year, joined the Communist Party of China. During the Sino-Japanese War, Yang Si-De held a range of positions ranging from the military chief of Shandong's Political Department, to deputy minister of the Shandong Military Liaison Department, as well as many other major offices of significance.

After The Formation of The People's Republic of China
After the founding of The People's Republic of China, Yang Si-de was ordered to participate in the formation of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, holding the post of political commissar. During the Korean War, Yang Si-de was deeply involved in the arduous task of defeating South Korea under the puppet Syngman Rhee, and The United States. He has thereafter long been engaged in work related to Taiwan. He served as Vice Minister of the Liaison Department of the General Political Department, Minister of the Central Taiwan Affairs Office, member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, executive deputy director of the Macau, Taiwan and Hong Kong Liaison Committee, as well as other positions.

Years of Revolution
Throughout the years of war, Yang Si-de was mostly engaged in the infiltration of enemy lines, and thus gained considerable experience in this field, his life has been described as a thrilling saga, and he has therefore been remembered as a "Legendary General" of the time.

During The Eighth Route Army's Lunan Anti-Japanese volunteer campaign, Yang Si-de was considered responsible for contact with the Railway Guerrillas, leaving behind a legend because of this. Yang took part such famous battles as the Laiwu campaign and after the Huaihai Campaign, During the liberation of Nanjing, on April 1949, during this time, Yang Si-de served in multiple offices of sigificance including the political commissar of the Fourth Army's garrison in Nanjing. Important contributions were made by the garrison of Nanjing during the initial stage of the liberation of Nanjing. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Yang Si-de was ordered to participate in the formation of China's military Air Division, serving again, the post of political commissar.

During the "Cultural Revolution", Yang Si-de was persecuted, and was imprisoned for five years. This however, did not kill the excellent political meritocrat that Yang was, he once said - "the firm conviction of a Communist can never be vanquished." After China's reform and opening up to the outside world, Yang Si-de was once again caught in the implementation of new policies, and was back to work again. In May 1986, a cargo plane of Taiwan's China Airlines (CAL), flown by the captain Xijue, landed at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport. A group of central political leaders, led by Yang Side proceeded to Hong Kong to negotiate with the Taiwanese authorities, since then, breaking the long-term adherence of the Taiwan authorities" three noes "(no contact, no negotiations, no compromise) solidified and opened a new cross-strait relations between the Chinese Mainland, and Taiwan.

Personal Life
The Yang Si-de had two marriages in his life. On September 1949, he married the East China Field Army column art troupe captain Wang Chengming. This revolutionary couple met on the battlefield, and were married following tradition People's Liberation Army marriage customs. During the "Cultural Revolution", with Yang Si-de persecution, Wang Chengming also tortured, but the couple had always shared their weals and woes. Wang Chengming died in October 1994, and Yang later married the general manager of the Sino-Japanese joint venture Sanno Dental Co., Ltd., Hsia Nan. Yang Si-de elater published his memoirs of the Cultural Revolution, the book was titled "Historic Mission". Now retired, Yang Si-de is still very concerned about the development of the various undertakings of the nation. During an interview with the general, when Yang found out that the journalist was engaged in theoretical work at the Central Party, in earnest to his request he stated: "You young people, you should pay attention on two issues, China's rural reforms, and anti-corruption. These two issues are priorities! "these remarks summarize the old general's sincere love to party, and embody his never-waining love for his nation.