Zhu Rongji, who helped turn China into a trading giant, dies at 97
Zhu brought China into the WTO and championed reforms that fuelled growth.
Zhu Rongji, the former Chinese Premier credited with transforming China into a global trading power, has passed away at 97.
Serving as the nation's second-highest official from 1998 to 2003, Zhu was instrumental in China's accession to the World Trade Organization. This move opened Chinese manufacturing to international markets and attracted significant foreign investment.
He was a pivotal figure in economic reform, shifting local tax authority to the central government, privatizing or closing failing state-owned enterprises, and promoting homeownership. Many in China remember him as a pragmatic and resolute leader who oversaw double-digit economic growth and was known for his outspokenness.
In 1998, he acknowledged that China faced "many potential crises that could erupt at any time," noting, "Ordinary people are discontent about us in many ways. Especially, there is corruption among officials, the gulf between rich and poor and the way some local officials act like tyrants." He famously called rogue bankers "half-wits" and described the flood defenses along the Yangtze River as "flimsy and porous as tofu dregs."
Under his leadership, which helped stabilize the economy and combat corruption, China evolved into a manufacturing giant, shedding its image as a Communist outsider. While his reforms led to 30 million layoffs over five years and increased inequality, they also spurred immense growth.
Chinese state media characterized Zhu Rongji's life as one of "revolution, struggle and brilliance." Born in Hunan province in 1928, he earned an electrical engineering degree before joining the civil service. He became a member of the Communist Party in 1949 but was purged twice: first for criticizing Mao Zedong's economic policies as "irrational," leading to him being labeled a "rightist," and again during the Cultural Revolution.
Zhu was reinstated after Mao's death and by 1991 had become vice-premier, overseeing China's economy. He assumed the role of premier seven years later. A staunch opponent of official corruption, Zhu guided China through challenging negotiations to join the World Trade Organization in 2002.
His obituary in state media hailed him as an "outstanding member of the Communist Party of China and loyal Communist fighter... an outstanding leader of the Party and state."