China prepares to mark Jiang Zemin centenary with full commemorative honours

Beijing is preparing to honor former Chinese president Jiang Zemin on the centenary of his birth, with a grand ceremony led by President Xi Jinping. A 12-episode documentary titled Jiang Zemin is airing on state broadcaster CCTV, with the flagship CCTV-1 channel broadcasting two episodes nightly at prime time. The series was produced jointly by the Communist Party’s Central Publicity Department, the Institute of Party History and Literature, and CCTV.

Xi, who is also the party’s top leader, is expected to preside over a grand symposium at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where top echelons of the leadership will attend. The documentary begins by praising Xi’s tribute to Jiang at his funeral in December 2022, calling him an "outstanding leader" for China. The episodes cover Jiang’s early life, military career, and contributions to China’s economic development.

Jiang, along with other former leaders such as Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, will be honored with a top-level symposium marking their centenaries. The extensive memorial plans aim to solidify Jiang's historical status as the party chief from 1989 to 2002 and head of the military until 2004.