How did Liu Shaoqi become involved in China’s labour movement?

Liu Shaoqi’s involvement in the Chinese labour movement began shortly after he returned to China from his studies in Moscow in 1922. His foundational contributions included:

• Organizational Leadership: In May 1922, he helped organize the First National Labour Congress.1
• Anyuan Colliery: Later that year, he was sent to the Anyuan colliery, where he successfully organized miners for a strike.1
• Escalating Roles: Following his work at Anyuan, his influence grew significantly. He served as the leader of a sympathy strike in February 1923, became vice-chairman of the All-China Federation of Labour in May 1925, and acted as secretary general of the Third National Labour Congress in 1926.1
• Later Leadership: After working underground following the 1927 split between the Nationalist Party and the Chinese Communist Party, he was named director of the workers’ department in 1928 and eventually became head of the All-China Federation of Labour in 1932.1