President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials convened at the Great Hall of the People on Monday to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of late leader Jiang Zemin. The event featured a 40-minute speech by Xi, who described the current leadership as a continuation of Jiang’s political and ideological project. The ceremony was attended by current and retired officials, though state media footage did not immediately show former President Hu Jintao, Jiang's immediate successor.
Jiang Zemin, who died in 2022 at age 96, led China during a period characterized by significant economic shifts, including the country's 2001 entry into the World Trade Organization and the dismantling of the old housing system. His tenure also saw the introduction of the internet to China and the subsequent establishment of the "Great Firewall" to restrict access to certain information. The anniversary follows the death of Jiang’s former premier, Zhu Rongji, who died last week at age 98 and whose funeral is scheduled for Tuesday.
During his address, Xi called for the Communist Party to maintain vigilance against "potential dangers" and "major tests." He characterized the current environment as one of "high winds and rushing waters" requiring an "indomitable fighting spirit." The speech comes as China manages trade frictions with the United States and Europe, slower economic growth, and demographic decline. While Xi emphasized continuity, the source notes his policies have favored greater central control and state-driven economic strategies compared to the private entrepreneurship emphasis of the 1990s.
The scale of the economic period being commemorated involves China's transition from a marginal economy to a global growth engine, a shift that impacted the country's 1.4 billion residents through the shuttering of unprofitable state firms and the creation of a commercial property market. For the average citizen, this era represented a time when rapid growth led to "tangible improvements in everyday life," according to social media sentiments reported by Reuters. However, the event also highlights the permanence of the "Great Firewall," which continues to regulate how residents access the global internet.
The knock-on effects of these commemorative activities include the reinforcement of the Communist Party's current ideological direction under Xi. By framing his administration as the successor to Jiang’s legacy, Xi seeks to unify the party during a period of international tension regarding Taiwan and trade. What happens next includes the funeral of former Premier Zhu Rongji on Tuesday, followed by the central bank's release of the Jiang Zemin commemorative coins later in August. Continued monitoring by analysts will focus on the health and status of 83-year-old Hu Jintao following his absence from the televised footage.