Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, whose market reforms helped drive the country's extraordinary economic rise, died from illness on Wednesday at the age of 97. State media reported the news. An obituary jointly issued by China's top political bodies, carried by Xinhua, said he passed away in Beijing late Wednesday morning "after medical treatment failed to save him."
Who was Zhu Rongji?
Zhu Rongji became China's premier in 1998 and quickly built a reputation as a hard-hitting free marketeer. He is best known for driving a broad program to privatize unprofitable state-owned enterprises. He also promoted the privatization of urban housing and encouraged home ownership across the country.
How did Chinese state media describe Zhu Rongji?
Xinhua quoted his obituary describing Zhu as "an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China, a long-tested and loyal communist fighter." The obituary called his life "a life of revolution, a life of struggle, a life of glory." It added that his life was "dedicated wholeheartedly to serving the people, one given to the communist cause," and called his passing "a major loss for the Party and the country."
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