China Mourns Former Premier Zhu Rongji with Flags Lowered, Funeral
Authorities imposed subdued mourning and heightened censorship as public grief over the former premier drew scrutiny on social media.
- On Tuesday, China lowered national flags to mourn former Premier Zhu Rongji, who died last week at 98, while authorities tightened security across Beijing, particularly around Tiananmen Square.
- During his 12-year tenure as vice premier and premier, Zhu drove China's economic overhaul, curbing inflation and pushing through sweeping state-sector reforms that integrated China into the World Trade Organization.
- State media praised the late leader as an "outstanding proletarian revolutionist," yet the official obituary omitted his past persecution as a "rightist" during the Cultural Revolution, political analyst Chen Pokong said.
- Authorities managed the mourning in a subdued, tightly controlled manner, fearing public grief could catalyze instability or criticism of current power, mirroring responses to other high-profile deaths.
- Analysts suggest the death symbolizes the definitive end of the "Reform and Opening-up" era as China pivots toward a more centralized future, reflecting fundamental differences between Zhu's reformist camp and General Secretary Xi Jinping.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Xi Jinping leads party elite in final farewell for ex-premier Zhu Rongji
Chinese President Xi Jinping led the party elite to pay a final tribute to former premier Zhu Rongji who was cremated on Tuesday as national flags were lowered to half mast. Zhu, who died of an illness in Beijing last Wednesday aged 97, served as premier from 1998 to 2003 and is regarded as the chief engineer of the country’s economic reform. He played a pivotal role in transitioning China towards a market-based economy and steered its entry int…
China lowers flag, tightens security for funeral of economic reformer Zhu Rongji
China cremated former Premier Zhu Rongji, a key economic reformer. President Xi Jinping and other leaders attended the ceremony in Beijing. Zhu's reforms helped China join the World Trade Organization and integrate globally. His legacy evokes nostalgia and criticism among citizens remembering his tenure. Authorities managed public mourning under heightened security and censorship.
(Beijing=Yonhap News) Correspondent Han Jong-gu = The funeral service for former Premier Zhu Rongji (1928–2026), known as the "commander of China's economic reform," will be held on the 18th...
Nation mourns as ex-premier Zhu is cremated
The body of former premier Zhu Rongji was cremated in Beijing on Tuesday. President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng, bid farewell to Zhu at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery on Tuesday morning. Amid solemn music, they walked slowly towards Zhu's body and stood in silent tribute. They then paid their …
China held a cremation ceremony for former Premier Zhu Rongji in Beijing today, amid tight security measures and online content controls.
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