Ex-Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, architect of growth, dies at 97

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, who played a pivotal role in the country's economic growth, has passed away at the age of 97. According to state media, he died of an illness in Beijing on Wednesday morning.

Referred to as a reformer, Zhu spearheaded China's remarkable economic boom in the 1990s by implementing sweeping changes to state industries. During his tenure as premier from 1998 to 2003, he faced opposition from conservative Party members and state industry leaders, but pushed through reforms that aimed to make state-owned companies more efficient and profitable. This led to millions of job losses, but also propelled China to surpass Japan as the second-largest economy in 2010.

Zhu's reforms included a program to privatize unprofitable state-owned enterprises and promote home ownership. In 1998, he initiated a home ownership boom by selling apartments owned by state companies, which resulted in private ownership of most urban housing within a decade.

As premier, Zhu was also instrumental in China's membership in the World Trade Organization, a move that further boosted the country's exports and helped maintain economic growth above 8% annually from 2000 to 2010, peaking at 14.2% in 2007. In 1992, while serving as vice-premier, Zhu emphasized the strengthening relationship between China and Australia, which he believed could contribute to the stability of the Asia-Pacific region.

The official Xinhua news agency reported that Zhu died of illness in Beijing on Wednesday morning. His obituary, jointly issued by China's top political bodies, described him as having lived a life of glory, struggle, and revolution, dedicated wholly to serving the people and the communist cause. His passing is a significant loss for the Party and the country.