Jiang Zemin took power in China after the Tiananmen massacre and opened up its economy to the free market.

His death comes at a time when China is experiencing its fiercest protests since Tiananmen, with many demonstrating against government-imposed Covid restrictions.

Jiang 1989 came to power after a bloody crackdown Against the protesters in and around Tiananmen Square, who led China to an international boycott.

The event sparked a deep power struggle between hard-line reactionaries and reformers at the top of the Chinese Communist Party.

This led to Jiang, who was initially seen as a hard worker, being promoted to a higher position. He was elected president by mutual agreementHopefully it will unite hardliners and more liberals.

Under his guidance A strong economy emergedThe Communists tightened their grip on power, and China took its place at the head table of world powers.

He oversaw the peaceful handover of Hong Kong in 1997 and China’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, intertwining the country’s economy with the international community. Thus China became a major manufacturing power and developing economic competition for developed countries.

However, political reforms were also sidelined. And Falun Gong has been criticized for its harsh repression of the sect In 1999, was considered a threat to the party.

He wanted to preserve his position within the Communist Party and developed his own political ideology – the Three Representatives Doctrine – in an attempt to modernize the party.

During his tenure, Jiang sought to strengthen ties with the United States, visiting the country several times and supporting then-President George W. Washington in Washington’s “war on terror” after the 9/11 attacks. Bush offered cooperation.

In a country not known for flamboyant leaders, he was seen as a politician with a more colorful personality than his successors. Jiang was an exception to the mold of tough, unsmiling Chinese leaders.

He was a communist who quoted Abraham Lincoln and declared his love for Hollywood movies. Memorable moments include his singing of Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender” at an international gathering and his bathing on a Hawaiian beach.

The less squeamish Chinese called it a “pot,” likened it to a trifling ornament, and mocked its vanities.

But Jiang’s unexpected rise and eccentricities caused others to underestimate him, and he matured into a shrewd politician during his 13 years as General Secretary of the Communist Party.

His political influence lasted long after his formal retirement, giving him great influence behind the scenes. When electing Xi Jinping as the current president.In his later years he withdrew from government and was rarely seen in public. But even though he had some looks, he became an unlikely subject for viral internet memes. Many Chinese people fondly caricatured his large glasses and compared his appearance to a toad. Young fans called themselves “Toad worshippers”.

Jiang’s successors, Hu Jintao – who was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) congress last month – and Xi Jinping are expected to attend his funeral, according to a letter published by the state-run Global Times newspaper. The letter added Foreign leaders and governments are not invited to the event. The funeral committee explained that the decision was similar to what it called “China’s practice”.

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