Zhu Rongji

Zhu Rongji, who served as China's Premier from 1998 to 2003, has died at the age of 97. He is widely recognized as a pivotal figure in China's economic transformation, often referred to as the "chief engineer" of its reforms. During his tenure, Zhu Rongji was instrumental in tackling corruption, restructuring the state-owned enterprise sector, and modernizing the centrally planned economy. A key achievement of his leadership was spearheading the negotiations for China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, a move that significantly opened the country to international markets and catalyzed profound economic changes. His death at 97 marks the end of an era for a leader whose policies profoundly shaped modern China's economic trajectory and global integration.