Key facts
- Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, known for his economic reforms, died at age 97.
- Zhu served as Premier from 1998 to 2003, a period of significant economic liberalization.
- He played a key role in China's accession to the World Trade Organization.
- His speeches, often blunt, addressed issues like corruption, debt, and inflation.
Zhu Rongji, a pivotal figure in China's economic reforms and former Premier, has died at the age of 97. Serving as Premier from 1998 to 2003, Zhu was instrumental in steering China's economy through a period of significant liberalization and growth, including its landmark accession to the World Trade Organization in 2002. His tenure was characterized by bold reforms, such as privatizing state-owned enterprises, reforming the financial sector, and managing the Asian financial crisis. Known for his blunt speaking style, Zhu's published speeches revealed his candid assessments of issues like corruption, local government debt, and inflation, offering a stark contrast to the more cautious public pronouncements of some of his contemporaries. His legacy is that of a pragmatic and transformative leader who played a crucial role in modernizing China's economy and integrating it into the global marketplace.