S. Korean ambassador to China mourns death of ex-Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji

The People's Republic of China has had eight premiers since its founding nearly 77 years ago, but only two—Zhao Ziyang and Zhu Rongji—have been credited with driving the nation's economic rise. Zhao translated Deng Xiaoping's vision of "reform and opening up" into policy during the 1980s, while Zhu Rongji, who passed away at 97, made his own significant contributions in the 1990s, becoming one of China's most respected senior leaders.

Zhu's path to the highest echelons of Chinese politics was anything but predictable. Born in 1928 in Changsha, Hunan, Zhu faced early tragedy—his father died before his birth and his mother died when he was nine, leaving him to be raised by his uncle. Despite these hardships, Zhu excelled academically, graduating from Tsinghua University in 1951 with a degree in electrical engineering.

Initially, Zhu's rise seemed threatened when he was labeled a "rightist" by Mao Zedong's campaign against the intelligentsia in 1957-58, leading to expulsion from the Communist Party and forced labor in the countryside for re-education. Zhu was later allowed to return to his job at the State Planning Commission in 1962, but his "rightist" label followed him, making it difficult for others to trust or promote him.

Zhu's fortunes improved after the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976. In 1978, he rejoined the Communist Party and was appointed to a mid-level position in the State Economic Commission in 1979. He became vice-minister of the commission the following year. Zhu's big break came in 1987 when he was appointed mayor of Shanghai, where he earned a reputation as an effective economic reformer, loyal party member, and staunch opponent of corruption.

Deng Xiaoping, impressed by Zhu's economic acumen during visits to Shanghai in 1990 and 1991, appointed him vice-premier of the State Council in 1991. Two years later, Zhu joined the Politburo Standing Committee and became executive vice-premier, essentially becoming China's economic czar. Under Zhu's leadership, China tackled high inflation, implemented groundbreaking reforms, and restructured the tax system, increasing the central government's revenue and enabling pro-growth investments.

Zhu also pursued financial-sector reforms, transforming the banking system from a centralised, outdated system into a commercially-oriented sector capable of weathering the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997. Zhu's economic leadership culminated in his promotion to premier in 1998, culminating in securing American support for China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001.

This pivotal moment boosted China's exports from US$253 billion in 2000 to US$1.65 trillion in 2010. Zhu's leadership style was unique, characterized by outspoken candor and a sharp wit. Despite not advocating for political liberalisation, Zhu's institutional reforms strengthened the state's administrative capacity, though they did little to empower the private sector, as large state-owned enterprises retained their near-monopolies in key industries.

Zhu will be remembered as both an exceptional reformer and a loyal Communist Party member—a technocratic trailblazer whose unlikely rise to power was made possible by Deng Xiaoping's personal intervention.