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Why did the Chinese government later describe Lin Biao as a traitor and rightist reactionary?

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Lin Biao, Zhou Enlai, and other Chinese officials stand in uniform, holding up Little Red Books during a 1967 Red Guard rally in China. — Lin Biao At a 1967 Red Guard rally, Lin Biao (left) and Zhou Enlai publicly display copies of *The Little Red Book*.

The Chinese government labeled Lin Biao a traitor and rightist reactionary following his death in 1971, primarily due to his alleged involvement in a failed power struggle against Mao Zedong.12

By 1971, tensions had escalated between Mao and Lin, who had been officially designated as Mao’s successor in 1969. Mao grew wary of Lin’s rapidly expanding political authority and his desire to consolidate power. The conflict intensified over policy disagreements, including Lin’s strong opposition to the diplomatic opening between China and the United States, which was orchestrated by Zhou Enlai.123

According to the official Chinese account, Lin and members of the military high command plotted a coup and an assassination attempt against Mao. When the plot was discovered, Lin reportedly attempted to flee to the Soviet Union but died in a plane crash in Mongolia. Following these events, the government purged the military command and posthumously denounced Lin as a traitor to the cause of Chinese communism and a rightist reactionary.123