China lowers flags, tightens security for former premier Zhu Rongji’s funeral

China lowered national flags at government headquarters on August 18 to mourn former Premier Zhu Rongji, a no-nonsense reformer who passed away last week at the age of 97. The nation is reflecting on his complex legacy while security was significantly tightened across Beijing, particularly around Tiananmen Square.

Zhu Rongji served as China's vice-premier from 1991 to 1998 and then as premier from 1998 to 2003. During his tenure, he was instrumental in driving the country's stringent economic overhaul in the 1990s. His policies successfully curbed runaway inflation, strengthened tax and banking systems, and initiated a sweeping state-sector shake-up that resulted in millions of job losses at unprofitable state firms. Crucially, his reforms facilitated China's accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2001, deepening its integration into the global economy.

Zhu was known for his independent thinking, once stating in 1988, "My defining trait – my guiding principle – is independent thinking. I believe I should say what I truly think." This principle had previously led to his party membership being revoked in the late 1950s for an "incautious" speech, with his membership not being restored for approximately two decades.

While Zhu's death prompted widespread mourning on Chinese social media, a minority of posts reportedly welcomed his passing. Similar to other former premiers who have died in recent years, Zhu's death is being handled in a subdued and tightly managed manner. Public expressions of grief are unfolding under heightened security, scrutiny, and censorship, a common approach by Chinese authorities when dealing with the death of prominent figures.

The authorities' cautious approach stems from historical precedents, such as the death of Premier Zhou Enlai in 1976. Following Zhou's death, tens of thousands gathered in Tiananmen Square, turning their mourning into a protest against the excesses of the Cultural Revolution and its associated radical officials. The current management of Zhu Rongji's funeral reflects a strategy to prevent any potential outpouring of public emotion from evolving into instability or criticism of the current leadership.

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My defining trait – my guiding principle – is independent thinking. I believe I should say what I truly think.