Hu Beizhao

Hu Beizhao is a Haidean Senator who is currently serving as the President of the Haidean Republic. Beizhao is well known for his success in the Third Manchuria Campaign, which saw fast moving Haidean forces taking over a large portion of Chinese territory, further prophesizing Jiang Xieren's dreams of a Manchurian unification in 2104. As well as his wartime successes, Beizhao also has immense support from the Haidean public for fulfilling his promises to act on anti-corruption campaigns, as well as the cracking down on gang violence. Beizhao has also requested to the United Nations for Haide to become a permanent member of the prestigious United Nations Security Council, which has yet to be voted upon.

Before entering the Haidean political atmosphere, Beizhao served as a member of the Armed Forces of the Haidean Republic, actively participating in the First Manchuria Campaign, in which he was stationed on the front lines in Inner Mongolia Province. There, he was a tank driver who was a part of the 31st Armoured Division, whom were tasked with advancing south from Inner Mongolia to encircle Chinese forces in Hebei Province, and from there, advancing to Beijing. Unfortunately, Haide surrendered to American and Chinese forces in the wake of the orbital bombardment of major Haidean and Japanese cities before any advance could take place.

Beizhao has vowed that by the end of his Presidency, Haide will annex all "rightfully Manchurian regions and territories from the Chinese occupiers", in which he claims to rename the Haidean Republic to "The People's Republic of Manchuria". This has many political analysts fearful that Haide may transition into a more Socialist state, although whether Beizhao actually plans to go ahead with the renaming remains unconfirmed.

The overall success of his own military campaign has thrusted Haide into the spotlight as being one of the most powerful militaries in the world, rivalling those of the United States and Chemgota.

## Early life

Beizhao was born on the 8th of January in 2040 in Daqing, then Heilongjiang Province in what was the the People's Republic of China, to Hu Yaozu and Qin Failan. His family is mostly of Manchu descent, with some Mongolian and Korean ancestry. Beizhao spent most of his childhood moving around Heilongjiang with his family, living in Harbin, Jiamusi, and Daqing, before settling in Qiqihar, in the state's southwestern region, in 2055, where he grew up with his five brothers.

During this period, China was currently locked in a war against an American-led coalition, a war in which China was rapidly losing. On top of that, founder of the Haidean Republic Jiang Xieren was leading a partisan movement against the PRC, who sought to achieve independence from China. Beizhao, who was then in his late teens, went to many of Xieren's rallies whenever Xieren came to Qiqihar. He also joined in on protests with his brothers calling for an independent Haide, which in many instances he was detained by Chinese police, but was released on the fact that he was a minor.

The year after the Haidean Republic gained independence, Beizhao and his family applied for Haidean citizenship, where they moved into a modest neighborhood home in Harbin.

## Military career

In 2076, opting for a career change after working for some years as a Supervisor in a Haidean Panova's, Beizhao applied to the Armed Forces of the Haidean Republic, which he entered later that year. In 2077, he went to the Haidean Tanker School, graduating in 2078, as an Tank Commander and Driver. He served in the 31st Armoured Division, which operated in the Daxing'anling region. His superior officers said he was "aggressive" and had "excessive ambition to fight abroad". In the same year, he studied in a Haidean Officers School, where he graduated in an Artillery Advanced Course.

### First Manchuria Campaign

Upon the outbreak of the First Manchuria Campaign in 2079, the Armoured Division Beizhao was stationed with, under the command of the 11th Army, were tasked with deploying into Inner Mongolia Province in tandem with the 13th and 14th armies to take and hold at least 25% of the Province, in which from there, the 11th Army was meant to advance south to Hebei Province to encircle Beijing. Beizhao lead a tank unit that were the first of their division to enter Inner Mongolia and engage the Chinese defenders.

When confronted with Chinese and newly participating American forces at the battle of Tongliao in 2081, Beizhao's unit was severely damaged by an ambush from an American anti-tank unit, which left hundreds of Haidean troops dead, and many more hundreds wounded. The tank Beizhao was operating inside of were one of the few that came out of the ambush unscathed, where he and his crew temporarily abandoned the tank in a covered field and playing dead amongst the destroyed ones. After the ambush, what remained of Beizhao's unit retreated back to Baicheng to merge with other tank units to continue the offensive.

Beizhao's unit under the 11th Army continued to attempt to take Tongliao throughout the course of the war, but the battle proved to be indecisive with the orbital bombardment of major Haidean and Japanese cities, forcing a Haidean surrender. This made a 43-year-old Hu Beizhao disappointed, as he believed that if the United States were not allowed to manufacture such weaponry of mass destruction, Haide would have surely made it to Beijing and capitulated the Chinese government. in 2085, Beizhao was discharged from the Armed Forces to enter his political career, with the rank of Second Leftenant.

## Political career

### Councilor of Harbin

Beizhao entered politics in 2086, and was elected one of the councilors of Harbin, representing the Conservative Party of Haide. According to a biography, Beizhao "was a candidate for councilor because believed he had to start small at the moment to build up the political momentum that would make him noticed by some superiors. His entry into politics happened by chance, for his desire was to continue in his military career". Beizhao spent only a year in the Harbin city council, where he was described as a quiet, discreet and a conservative member, although showing much participation. His term as councilor was used mainly to give visibility to military causes, such as retirement benefits for former officers.

### 2089 Presidential Elections

In 2088, Beizhao announced that he would contest the 2089 presidential elections against Zhang Liqiang representing the CPH. He called it at the time "probably the most important decision of my life". According to Communist leader Hou Weiyuan and opposition leader Chyou Fen, both believed the move as inspired by Zhang Liqiang himself. According to Mr Weiyuan, Beizhao's candidacy is an attempt, "to preserve Liqiang's regime". He collected all the signatures needed in parliament to allow him to run for the presidency.

In the 2089 presidential elections, Beizhao gained 32.6% of the vote, second only to Chyou Fen's landslide 51.5%. During his campaign, Beizhao conducted a tour around the country, meeting with his supporters in various cities. His visits were often accompanied with large rallies, calling people together to unite against the Chinese for their defeat in the First Manchuria Campaign. Whilst his campaign reigned, Beizhao largely refrained from speaking negatively about his opponents. Beizhao stated that he would not base his campaign on criticism of President Zhang Liqiang. But he did express his opinion about women in leadership, stating that "Fen should not be running".

Beizhao's campaign was the second best-funded of the election, with a campaign fund of 400 million dollars (only 11 million shy of Liqiang), of which he spent more than 350 million.

### 2096 Presidential Elections

On the 21st of July 2095, the CPH had nominated Beizhao to run for president in the 2096 Haidean Presidential election. His coalition name was "Haide above everything, Xieren above everyone". Though contested by several lawsuits, the Haidean Supreme Court deferred them and his candidacy was made official on the following month. In September, Beizhao announced that Oleg Yevishkin, a retired Chemgotan army general, would be his running mate.

According to political pundits, Beizhao moderated his tone early in the campaign, taking a less aggressive and confrontational style. Economically, he continued to support government intervention in the Haidean economy, where he defended developmentalist policies. On the other hand, he maintained his tough stance on crime and his defense of "traditional Haidean values". Beizhao also said he planned to cut taxes across the board, particularly on inheritances and businesses, to generate growth and tackle unemployment. He also promised more austerity measures and cuts in government spending, but had difficulty naming the areas where he would make cuts. He also said he would work to diminish the federal government's size and bureaucracy by enacting a wide variety of deregulation measures.

Beizhao promises to restore security amid record high crime and to stamp out Haidean political corruption won him huge popular support. In October, he announced he would name liberal economist Hao Fei-Hong as his finance minister. Beizhao vowed to bolster the Haidean image on the world stage, by promising "triumphant military victories" against China in order to bestow the "Haidean glory Xieren always dreamed of", which garnered even more popular support.

Beizhao became the frontrunner according to all major opinion polls. A poll from February showed Beizhao as the leading candidate in the first round with 28% of vote intentions, though runoff scenarios showed him losing to current President Chyou Fen. Another poll conducted the week before election day, showed a considerable surge for Beizhao, who had 42% of vote intentions, or 36% when null or blank vote intentions were included. Wenliang came in second with 25% and President Fen third with 15%.

WIP