Former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, who presided over a time when China saw massive growth, died on November 30. He was 96.
CNN reported that the announcement emerged Wednesday from the state news agency Xinhua. It also stated that the former president died of leukemia and multiple organ failure and is survived by his wife, two sons, and two grandchildren.
The country’s ruling Communist Party, where he served as general secretary from 1989 to 2002, reportedly deemed Jiang “an outstanding leader” in its official obituary, adding that he enjoyed “high prestige” and was “a communist fighter that withstood many trials and tests.”
In its piece, published Wednesday, CNN quoted the obituary, writing, “During the serious political turmoil in China in the spring and summer of 1989, Comrade Jiang Zemin supported and implemented the correct decision of the Party Central Committee to oppose unrest, defend the socialist state power, safeguard the fundamental interests of the people … and effectively maintain the stability of Shanghai.”
State broadcaster CCTV released the same statement, with BBC noting that it lauded Jiang Zemin’s role in the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Meanwhile, state media outlets, including Xinhua and Global Times, paid tribute to the former Chinese leader by turning their respective websites black and white, as per the publication.
Reports said that Jiang Zemin is often credited for the successful integration of China into the international community following what happened at Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 1989.
The Washington Post said the former leader, who became the head of state in 1993, presided over a period of extraordinary economic growth, adding that the country’s economy tripled its size by some measures.
The publication continued that under Jiang’s watch, China sailed through the 1997-1998 financial storm in Asia. Also, the country regained sovereignty over Hong Kong, with the former leader overseeing the return of control in 1997.
In 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization, which The Washington Post noted as a turning point in the country’s rise as an economic power.
The same publication also recalled that Jiang Zemin established the Communist Party as the country’s only political force, noting that he opened the ranks to the flourishing private business sector. At the same time, he was said to have eradicated all threats and challenges to the party’s monopoly on power.
The former leader, alongside his government, is also stated to have launched campaigns against dissent. Reports subsequently highlighted the crackdown on the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which was seen as a threat to the party.
NPR said many knew Jiang Zemin for his larger-than-life personality, adding that this entertained world leaders and frustrated his Communist colleagues.
The former head of state was born on August 17, 1926, in Yangzhou, west of Shanghai.