China mourns Zhu Rongji, the reformer who shook up its economy

Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, a reforming trailblazer who died at 97 last week, was mourned on Tuesday with lowered flags and social media tributes across China. As a statesman and "outstanding proletarian revolutionist", Zhu's legacy includes decisive economic restructuring during his five-year premiership from 1998 onwards.

State news agency Xinhua hailed Zhu as "an outstanding proletarian revolutionist and statesman" after his passing on Wednesday. Flags were lowered at government buildings, including in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, while the Tiananmen tribute trended as the top topic on Chinese microblogging site Weibo. Weibo users expressed gratitude for Zhu's contributions to the nation.

Zhu's ashes will be cremated in Beijing on Tuesday, with a farewell gathering expected to be attended by senior leaders of China's ruling Communist Party, as is standard protocol. Born in 1928 in central China, Zhu's political career included stints as mayor of Shanghai and national vice premier before becoming premier. Zhu's tenure coincided with that of President Jiang Zemin, who also passed away in 2022.

Known for his rigorous anti-corruption campaigns and efforts to dismantle inefficient state-owned firms, Zhu integrated China into the global economy. Asked how he wished to be remembered, Zhu simply stated, "I only hope that after I step down, people across the country will say that 'he was an honest official, not a corrupt one', and I’ll be very satisfied with that."