China's Xi touts party-led growth at predecessor Jiang Zemin’s birth centenary

President Xi Jinping honored the legacy of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, using the centenary of his predecessor's birth to underscore the importance of combining economic development with firm Communist Party rule. Xi's address at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing emphasized that economic progress must be guided by the party's leadership.

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When we’re developing the economy, we have to make sure that we adhere to the party’s leadership.

This speech marked Xi's first public appearance in at least two weeks, following the traditional summer break for senior Chinese leaders. The timing of the event also coincided with the recent death of former Premier Zhu Rongji, who was instrumental in advancing economic reforms and facilitating China's entry into the World Trade Organization alongside Jiang.

Xi credited Jiang, who assumed power after the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, with making the party leadership's "correct decision" and preserving stability during what he described as a "severe political disturbance." This narrative echoes Xi's 2022 eulogy for Jiang, where he portrayed the former leader as a protector of the party and China's development amidst Western pressure and political upheaval.

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correct decision

The speech reiterated Xi's stance that Jiang's era of reform and opening was intrinsically linked to Communist Party control. Xi highlighted Jiang's commitment to economic development despite domestic and international challenges from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. He recognized Jiang as an "outstanding leader" and the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents, a political concept that enabled private entrepreneurs to join the Communist Party as China's market economy expanded.

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outstanding leader