Chinese President Xi Jinping leads party elite in final farewell for ex-premier Zhu Rongji

Chinese President Xi Jinping led the party elite in a final tribute to former Premier Zhu Rongji, who was cremated on Tuesday. Zhu, who died at age 97, served as premier from 1998 to 2003 and is recognized as the chief architect of China's economic reform. He was instrumental in transitioning China to a market-based economy and guided its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), a move that facilitated the nation's significant economic growth. The funeral took place at Beijing's Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, with Xi, Premier Li Qiang, other Politburo Standing Committee members, and Vice-President Han Zheng in attendance to pay their respects. National flags were lowered to half-mast in his honor.

China is holding a low-key funeral for former Premier Zhu Rongji, who died at 97 and was cremated in Beijing. Zhu is remembered as a significant economic reformer from 1998 to 2003. While state media praises his legacy, authorities are censoring public mourning and online discussions, fearing nostalgia for his era could lead to criticism of President Xi Jinping's current rule. This caution stems from past instances where public grief over deceased officials escalated into protests. The article notes that Zhu, alongside former leader Jiang Zemin, represented a period of rapid economic growth and a more candid leadership style, which contrasts with the current government's approach.