Tributes poured in from all sides following the death last week of former Chinese prime minister Zhu Rongji. China has lost one of the giants behind its economic development, Hong Kong has lost a friend.
Among the many qualities highlighted by people who knew him well, one in particular caught my eye as reported in this newspaper under the headline, “A boldness and personal touch not forgotten”. Though I met Zhu only once, and then very briefly, I can confirm the latter point from direct experience.
Zhu’s achievements throughout his career, particularly those in the economic field, have been widely reported. China embarked on its economic reforms in 1978 at the prompting of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, but it was Zhu who implemented the tough structural reforms that locked in the gains and facilitated China’s entry into the World Trade Organization.
I met Zhu in Hainan Island in 2001 during preparations for the first meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia. The idea for the platform was initiated in 1998 by former Philippine president Fidel V. Ramos, former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke and former Japanese prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa. The underlying objective was to set up an Asian equivalent of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, so that leaders in government, business and academia from around the region could exchange views on important issues of the day.
China became the driving force behind the forum and its annual meetings are held in the town of Boao on Hainan Island. The non-profit forum now comprises nearly 30 member states, mainly from the Asia-Pacific.
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Chinese vice-premier pledges more policy support and Asian partnerships at Boao Forum
The first meeting was to be held in mid-April 2002. To test the ability of Boao to host such an important event, a full-scale dress rehearsal was planned for late 2001.
