Story perspectives

Former Premier Zhu Rongji Dies, WTO Architect, 97

8/12/2026

Center

Zhu Rongji Dies

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji died of illness in Beijing on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at age 97.
His position placed him third in the Communist Party hierarchy, behind President Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Peng.
Zhu led negotiations that secured China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, opening the economy to global markets.
His reform program privatized or closed unprofitable state-owned enterprises, causing about 30 million job losses over five years.

Left

Zhu Rongji Dies

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji died of illness in Beijing on August 12, 2026, at age 97.
His market reforms, while driving rapid growth, displaced an estimated 40 million state-sector workers, underscoring severe social costs.
Zhu was expelled during Mao’s campaigns, rehabilitated after 1976, and later returned to senior posts.
The state obituary lauded him for urging officials to serve the public and reject privileges.

Blindspot

Zhu Rongji was personally expelled from the Communist Party during Mao’s campaigns and later rehabilitated after 1976, according to the state obituary.
Within this story's sources, this aspect appears mainly in Left-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

In December 1978 Deng Xiaoping launched Reform and Opening-up, de-collectivizing farms and establishing Special Economic Zones that drew foreign capital. Premier Zhao Ziyang guided price reforms, and Zhu Rongji, promoted to Vice Premier in 1991, led WTO entry in 2001 and SOE privatization, lifting the private sector to about 70 % of GDP by 2005. The 1978 shift powered growth and layoffs noted in Zhu’s 2026 obituary.

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Zhu Rongji Dies

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji died of illness in Beijing on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at age 97.
His position placed him third in the Communist Party hierarchy, behind President Jiang Zemin and Premier Li Peng.
Zhu led negotiations that secured China’s entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, opening the economy to global markets.
His reform program privatized or closed unprofitable state-owned enterprises, causing about 30 million job losses over five years.

1 / 4