Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji has passed away at the age of 97, as reported by state media. The official Xinhua news agency announced that Zhu succumbed to illness in Beijing around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Known for his impatience and sharp-tongued demeanor, Zhu played a crucial role in propelling China’s economic growth by implementing significant reforms in the 1990s, including steering the country into the World Trade Organization.
Despite facing challenges such as being exiled to rural areas for advocating reforms in other communist nations, Zhu spearheaded a series of transformative initiatives during his tenure as premier from 1998 to 2003. He encountered resistance from conservative factions within the Communist Party and state-owned enterprises as he drove efforts to enhance the efficiency and profitability of state-owned companies, resulting in millions of job cuts. However, these measures contributed to China surpassing Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy after the United States in 2010.
Expanding on Deng Xiaoping’s reforms in 1979, Zhu played a pivotal role in ushering in groundbreaking changes, such as China’s accession to the WTO, which facilitated the nation’s evolution into a global export powerhouse. These reforms sustained economic growth at over eight percent annually from 2000 to 2010, reaching a peak of 14.2 percent in 2007.
Assuming the position of premier at the age of 69 in 1998, Zhu garnered popularity by holding officials accountable for shortcomings and corruption, earning nicknames like Boss and Madman Zhu. His commitment to combating corruption was evident when he famously remarked in 1998, “I have prepared 100 coffins here — 99 for corrupt officials and one for myself.”
Zhu, who ranked third in the party hierarchy behind President Jiang Zemin and Li Peng, oversaw significant achievements, including curbing inflation as a deputy premier in the 1990s and championing China’s WTO membership through arduous negotiations. Despite facing criticism and challenges, Zhu’s persistence secured China’s entry into the WTO in December 2001.
Furthermore, Zhu initiated a housing boom in 1998 by launching a program to sell state-owned company apartments, leading to a surge in private homeownership in urban areas within a decade. While advocating for market-oriented reforms in sectors like banking and airlines, Zhu maintained government ownership, eschewing full-scale privatization of the economy.
Born on October 23, 1928, in Hunan province, Zhu endured a tumultuous political journey, including a 22-year hiatus following condemnation as a “rightist” in 1957 for endorsing reforms in Hungary and Yugoslavia. His resurgence in 1979 saw rapid advancements in his career, culminating in key leadership roles at the municipal and national levels.
Embracing transparency and accountability, Zhu broke from traditional party norms by taking responsibility for governmental failures, acknowledging shortcomings, and issuing public apologies when necessary. His wit and humor endeared him to the public, with Zhu often injecting levity into official engagements and events.
Zhu’s legacy includes crafting a tax system that redirected more revenue to the central government, a move he humorously suggested merited a Nobel Prize in economics. His tenure as premier left an indelible mark on China’s economic landscape, shaping the nation’s trajectory as a global economic powerhouse.
