Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin dies at 96

Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, who took office following the Tiananmen Square riots, passed away at the age of 96.

According to state media, he passed away in Shanghai on Wednesday shortly after 12:00 local time (04:00 GMT).

Jiang ruled during a period of broad opening and rapid economic expansion in China.

His passing occurs at a time when Covid restrictions are the focus of some of the most significant protests China has seen since Tiananmen.

Leukaemia and multiple organ failure were listed as the cause of death in a Chinese Communist Party announcement.

He was acknowledged as "an exceptional leader with considerable prestige" and "a long-tested Communist fighter," it was further said.

State-run media organizations, such as the Global Times and the Xinhua news agency, changed the colour of their web pages to black and white in remembrance.

Following the violent 1989 crackdown on demonstrators in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, state broadcaster CCTV praised his performance.

"During the serious political turmoil in China in the spring and summer of 1989, Comrade Jiang Zemin supported and implemented the correct decision of the Party Central Committee to oppose unrest, defend the socialist state power and safeguard the fundamental interests of the people," it said.

International isolation of China as a result of the incident led to a protracted power struggle between hard-line reactionaries and reformers at the leadership of the Communist Party.

Jiang, who had previously been seen as a plodding bureaucrat, was consequently promoted to a high position. In the hopes that he would bring together conservative and more liberal groups, he was picked as the compromise leader.

Under his leadership, a powerful economy was created, the Communists tightened their hold on authority, and China ascended to the top of the global power structure.

In 1997, he supervised the peaceful transfer of Hong Kong, and in 2001, China joined the World Trade Organization, integrating it into the world economy.

However, he ignored political changes and suppressed internal criticism while maintaining a tough posture on Taiwan. He received criticism for the harsh crackdown he instituted on the Falun Gong sect in 1999 since it was thought to pose a threat to the Communist Party.

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