Xi Jinping leads event marking late Chinese leader Jiang Zemin's 100th birth anniversary
Chinese President Xi Jinping led a commemoration for the 100th birth anniversary of late leader Jiang Zemin, framing his own leadership as a continuation of Jiang's political and economic legacy. The event follows the recent passing of former Premier Zhu Rongji, marking a transition in China's political history.
Why it matters
This event signals the current administration's effort to consolidate its ideological legitimacy by aligning with the era of rapid economic growth associated with Jiang Zemin.
In a 40-minute speech on Monday (Aug 17), the Chinese president called on the Communist Party to carry forward Jiang's legacy, presenting the current leadership as the continuation of his political and ideological project.
A giant screen shows news footage of Chinese President Xi Jinping attending the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of China's Communist Party in Beijing, China, Jul 18, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Tingshu Wang)
BEIJING: Top Chinese officials led by President Xi Jinping gathered in the Great Hall of the People on Monday (Aug 17) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of late leader Jiang Zemin, who led China in a pivotal phase in its rise from a marginal economy to a global growth engine.
Jiang, who died in 2022 at the age of 96, confounded naysayers and led the country through a decade of rapid economic growth after the 1989 Tiananmen incident.
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