The death of an informal diplomat

At the ripe age of 94, Beijing-born Anna Chan Chennault passed away. Her death in her famous penthouse in Washington’s Watergate Complex has pulled the curtain on a remarkable life.

Anna Chan responded nimbly to the circumstances of the era — first, as a supporter of the pre-communist Republic of China. Subsequently, she bonded with the Americans, first as a fierce anti-communist campaigner, and then as a bridge-builder between Washington and Beijing after it had entered the reform period under Deng Xiaoping.

Many describe her as “a unique model of an informal diplomat”. Others view her less kindly as a shrewd manipulator, with an opportunistic track record.

In the teeth of the war with imperial Japan, Anna Chan sought her destiny with Kuomintang — a life-changing factor that eventually brought her close to the Americans. When the Japanese were closing in on Beijing in 1937, her wealthy family of intellectuals and diplomats fled to Hong Kong.

Over the years, Anna Chan, whose Chinese name was Chen Xiang Mei, became a war correspondent with China’s Central News Agency, having completed, almost on the run, a course in journalism at Hong Kong’s Lingdan University. It was in her capacity as a journalist that she met Major General Claire Chennault, the celebrated American leader of the ‘Flying Tigers’. She subsequently married him, despite an age difference of three decades. Gen. Chennault commanded three fighter squadrons, comprising 90 planes, to help protect Republican China from imperial Japan, whose forces were threatening to overtake China’s Yunnan province through the Burma route.

Anna Chan’s marriage — which set the course for an eventful future — was solemnised in Shanghai in 1947, after Gen. Chennault, a father of eight, divorced his previous wife. It became a major event in Shanghai’s social calendar. “They were married in his (Gen. Chennault’s) yellow-walled, red-roofed Tudor-style villa,” wrote the

Global Times , China’s state-run tabloid. The marriage brought Anna Chan to the U.S., where she established herself as a Cold War anti-communist crusader, entrepreneur, writer and a broadcaster with the Voice of America.

She also managed to weave her way into the Republican Party power elite. She is known to have played a significant role in bringing Richard Nixon to power, helping him with generous donations, and bringing him into contact with Asian-origin communities. She’s also accused of interfering with diplomacy surrounding the Vietnam War to help Nixon win the election, on account of her active links and influence over Nguyen Van Thieu, leader of former South Vietnam.

About turn

Known for reading the tea leaves astutely, Anna Chan, despite her established anti-communist credentials, mounted a major about turn — this time in the direction of Beijing. A reform-minded Deng had come to power in China, following the death in 1976 of Mao Zedong. Nixon had himself turned towards China, in his successful bid to splinter the international communist camp. Anna Chan positioned herself well to emerge as a conduit between Ronald Reagan and Deng.

On her death, the Chinese government said it “deeply” mourned “the passing away of Madame Anna Chan Chennault,” while state broadcaster CGTN called her a “folk ambassador” who served interests of Beijing and Washington.

Atul Aneja works for The Hindu and is based in Beijing