China's reformist ex-premier Zhu Rongji dies at 97

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, a key architect of China's economic transformation, died in Beijing at age 97, state media reported Wednesday. Zhu, who joined the Communist Party in 1948, was widely recognized for his role in negotiating China's 2001 accession to the World Trade Organization.

An official obituary hailed him as a "loyal communist fighter." However, the report omits his earlier expulsion from the party a decade after joining, following his criticism of Mao Zedong's economic policies during the Hundred Flowers campaign. He also spent five years working on a rural commune during the Cultural Revolution.

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After being rehabilitated following Mao's death in 1976, Zhu rapidly advanced through party and government ranks. As mayor of Shanghai in 1988, he spearheaded the development of Pudong into a major financial hub. Appointed vice premier in 1991 and later premier, he played a crucial role in further economic reforms.

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Zhu's tenure saw China weather the 1997 Asian financial crisis through capital controls and infrastructure investment. His policy of privatizing state-owned enterprises made the country more competitive but resulted in tens of millions of job losses, exacerbating the wealth gap and creating uncertainty. He also reformed the housing market, encouraging homeownership and fostering the commercial real estate sector, which has since faced a severe crisis.

Zhu was also known for his anti-corruption stance. He reportedly dismissed a local party boss on the spot for displaying an expensive lighter, and was known for his sharp critiques, once comparing weak dikes along the Yangtze River to "tofu pulp."

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