JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have sent separate cables of condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the death of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, state news agency SPA reported on Friday.
King Salman expressed his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to Xi, Zhu’s family and the Chinese people, wishing them solace following his death.
Crown Prince Mohammed, who is also prime minister, conveyed his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the Chinese president and Zhu’s family, wishing Xi continued good health and well-being.
Zhu, one of China’s most influential economic reformers, died in Beijing on Aug. 12 at the age of 97, according to Chinese state media.
He served as China’s premier from 1998 to 2003 under then-President Jiang Zemin, after serving as vice premier and taking a leading role in economic policy. He had earlier been mayor and Communist Party chief of Shanghai, where he gained a reputation as a pragmatic reformer and opponent of corruption.
Zhu’s tenure as premier coincided with a pivotal period in China’s transformation from a centrally planned economy toward a more market-oriented system. He pursued sweeping reforms of state-owned enterprises, the banking sector and government finances, while also promoting housing reform and greater economic openness.
One of his most significant achievements was helping steer China into the World Trade Organization in 2001 after years of difficult negotiations. WTO membership accelerated China’s integration into global trade and helped lay the foundations for the rapid expansion that followed.
Zhu also played a central role in containing inflation and addressing weaknesses in the state sector. His restructuring of state-owned enterprises, however, resulted in large-scale layoffs and carried substantial social costs, making his reform legacy both consequential and controversial.
Known for his blunt and candid manner, Zhu was widely regarded as a technically minded leader who favored decisive action on economic problems. His years in Shanghai also saw major infrastructure and urban-development initiatives, including the expansion of Pudong, which later became a major financial and commercial center.
After stepping down as premier in 2003, Zhu largely withdrew from public life. His death marks the passing of a leader whose economic policies helped shape China’s emergence as a global economic power.
