Zhou Enlai was Chairman of the People's Republic of China from 1954 until 1986. Between May 1985 and June 1986 (when he died of a heart attack) Enlai was also First Secretary of the Albanian Labor Party, becoming effective head of state for both Albania and China. After Chairman Mao was killed in an American attack, Enlai succeeded him. During his lifetime, Zhou Enlai carried out negotiations with North and South Vietnam, bringing an end to the destructive war in Indochina. Under his guidance, China developed and tested its first nuclear bomb in 1959, placing the country in second tier nuclear nations (such as Britain and France.) In the later years of his life, Enlai handed over much of the day to day running of the Republic to Deng Xiaoping, his successor, and the central figure in industrialized China.
Death
On June 5th, 1986, Enlai passed away due to a massive heart attack. He was cremated, but a debate ensued over which country should have the right to bury his remains. Finally, it was decided to divide the ashes into thirds. Two thirds would be buried in China, and the other third in Albania (a country that Enlai visited only once.)