How did Jiang Zemin die? Former President who led China's rise after Tiananmen dies at 96
SHANGHAI, CHINA: Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin has died at the age of 96. Jiang, who ruled from 1993 to 2003, helped the Asian nation emerge from isolation following the suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and supported economic reforms that sparked a decade of exponential growth.
Jiang Zemin died in Shanghai at 12.13 pm local time on Wednesday, November 30 from leukemia and multiple organ failure, according to CNN. After the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Jiang was unexpectedly chosen to lead a split Communist party. He is survived by his wife, two sons, and two grandchildren.
READ MORE
NO CHINESE WALL: US slammed for sharing Russian intel with China, who passed it BACK to Russia
His tenure saw significant geopolitical and economic changes in the region, including China's market-oriented reforms, Hong Kong's independence from the British in 1997, and Beijing joining the World Trade Organization in 2001.
The former premier's death occurs at a delicate time for China. The nation has recently experienced an unprecedented surge of anti-government "zero-Covid" protests, with some demonstrators in Shanghai calling for the resignation of current president Xi Jinping. The country's citizens have been known to protest against incumbent regimes while mourning former leaders.
For 15 years, Jiang Zemin was a contentious and colorful figure at the forefront of China's political life. Analysts claim that he continued to exercise power even after retiring and that in his later years, he acted as a counterbalance to China's current leader, Xi Jinping. Jiang became party head in Tiananmen Square's aftermath in 1989, at a time when China was internationally stigmatized. He played a major role in unifying the fractured Communist Party and repairing the government's reputation, as reported by NPR news.
Born on August 17, 1926 in a wealthy family in the southern Jiangsu province, Jiang joined a Communist cell in 1946. He was tasked with fostering ties with the Soviet Union after the Communist Party rose to power in China. He picked up Russian while working at the Stalin Automobile Factory in Moscow. He started as an engineer and advanced through the ranks to become the minister of the electronics industry in the 1980s.
According to Chinese observers, Jiang's political power and health dwindled in his old age. Xi purged Jiang's loyalists through his controversial anti-corruption campaign, particularly in the military, which was once one of Jiang's political strongholds. Jiang was notably absent during the October party conference, where Xi gained a historic third term in power. Rumors of Jiang's death often circulated, but he would always reappear in public days later.
