A Legacy of Reform: Remembering Zhu Rongji

China mourns former Premier Zhu Rongji, whose reform-oriented leadership shaped the nation's economic landscape. His tenure was marked by hard-hitting economic reforms, which ushered China's accession to the World Trade Organization but also led to significant job losses. Zhu's legacy remains controversial, inciting both admiration and criticism.

China lowered its national flag on Tuesday in somber tribute to former Premier Zhu Rongji, marking the end of an era with the passing of the determined reformist leader, who died last week at age 97.

Security was visibly heightened in Beijing near key political sites like Tiananmen Square, as Zhu's memorial procession made its way to the renowned Babaoshan crematorium—a venue reserved for top officials, where his cremation was to take place. During his time as vice premier and later premier in the 1990s, Zhu was credited with spearheading substantial economic reforms that transformed China's economy.

Under his leadership, Zhu tackled inflation, overhauled China's tax and banking systems, and introduced reforms that laid the foundations for China's integration into the global economy via the World Trade Organization in 2001. Despite these achievements, Zhu's legacy is divisive, provoking mixed sentiments from grief to applause and critique among citizens.