As China deepens reforms, Zhu Rongji’s legacy serves as an inspiration
The former premier played a key role in the developments that helped shape China’s rise to the world’s second-largest economy today
These were among the reforms during his tenure as vice-premier and premier between 1991 and 2003 that transformed the country’s economic system into that of a modern state which is now a cornerstone of the global economy. Let’s not forget an iron-willed fight against corruption that inspired a memorable expression of his determination at a press conference: “I’ll have 100 coffins prepared, 99 for corrupt officials and the last one for myself.”
History will record a quote at the beginning of his premiership: “Regardless of what lies ahead – be it a minefield or a deep abyss – I will forge ahead unswervingly, dedicating my entire life and energy to the country until my dying day.” As the South China Morning Post’s obituary rightly said, those words came to define the legacy of China’s “towering economic reformer”.
Even at this distance, with China now the world’s second-largest economy, it is fitting to pay tribute to Zhu’s boldness and pragmatism in engineering and pushing the country’s economic reform. It was when he succeeded Li Peng as premier in 1998 that China was shifting from a planned economy to a “socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics”. Zhu faced tremendous pressure in restructuring the country’s state-owned enterprises, which led to job cuts, public confusion and even anger.