Jiang Zemin Passes Away at 96
Jiang Zemin, former Chinese President, passed away due to leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai on November 30, 2022 at the age of 96. A memorial meeting for him was held on the morning of December 6 in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping gave an address. Approximately
5,000 people attended the memorial meeting, and hundreds of millions of people stood in silence to pay tribute. People from all walks of life expressed their sorrow online. Horns and air defense sirens were sounded for three minutes. National flags were flown at half-mast around the country, and public entertainment activities were suspended for the day. Leaders of many countries and international organizations expressed their deep condolences via phone, letter and other means to the Chinese President and people over Jiang’s passing. Foreign diplomats from over 120 countries in China and the secretary-general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization visited China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to offer their deep condolences on the passing of Jiang Zemin.
In his speech at the memorial meeting, Xi spoke highly of Jiang’s contribution and achievements as “a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist and diplomat, a long-tested communist fighter, and an outstanding leader of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” Jiang was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the fourth plenary session of the 13th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in June 1989, and he retired from the CPC Central Committee in November 2002. During these 13 years, “China’s reform, opening-up and socialist modernization drive unfolded with great momentum amid a highly volatile international situation,” Xi said.
The 13 years saw China, led by Jiang, tackling challenges of sovereignty, security and development. In particular, China successfully coped with the impact of the Asian financial crisis and won a victory in the disaster relief efforts during the devastating floods of 1998, Xi noted.
Jiang was the core of the third generation of the Communist Party of China’s central collective leadership and the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents. In 2000, Jiang expounded the Three Represents, which means the CPC must always represent “the development trend of China’s advanced productive forces, the orientation of China’s advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people.”
The Theory of Three Represents is the “most valuable asset Comrade Jiang Zemin left us,” Xi said, adding that it is “a guiding ideology that the Party must adhere to on a long-term basis.” Looking ahead, Xi stressed the importance of making sure the “Party always serves as the strong leadership core in the course of upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.” He also urged the Party to “stick to the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, put the people front and center, comprehensively promote reform and opening-up, and always keep global well-being in mind.” He called for “a firmer sense of purpose, fortitude, and self-belief in the whole Party and among the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.”