Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, the chief architect of China’s modern economic rise, died in Beijing on Wednesday morning at the age of 97 after medical treatment failed.
State news agency Xinhua released an official obituary honoring his legacy describing his journey as “a life of revolution, a life of struggle, a life of glory.”
The statement also hailed him as “an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China” whose leadership reshaped the nation.
Architect of deep economic reforms
Serving as premier from 1998 to 2003, Zhu transformed China’s centrally planned economy into a market-driven powerhouse. He boldly overhauled inefficient state-owned enterprises, encouraged private housing and guided the country safely through the 1997 Asian financial crisis.
Recalling Zhu’s fearless approach to sweeping policy changes, former Goldman Sachs executive John Thornton noted, “This was someone who was not afraid to make a difficult decision.”
Opening China to world trade
Zhu’s signature achievement was leading the arduous negotiations that secured China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001.
By integrating China into global commerce, he turned the nation into the world’s primary exporter and drove rapid economic growth that averaged over eight percent annually for a decade.
A fierce stance against corruption
Renowned for his sharp-tongued, demanding style, Zhu became popular for aggressively targeting government waste and graft.
Highlighting his uncompromising fight against dishonest officials, Zhu famously declared in 1998, “I have prepared 100 coffins here – 99 for corrupt officials and one for myself.”
His passing marks the end of a historic era in modern Chinese history.
