Zhu Rongji, the former Chinese premier who served from 1998 to 2003, has died at 97, leaving behind a legacy defined by his role in catapulting China from a communist backwater into a global economic powerhouse.
A lifelong member of the Communist Party, Zhu was the primary architect behind China's entry into the World Trade Organization, a move that opened the floodgates for foreign investment and turned the nation into the world’s manufacturing hub.
During his tenure, Zhu implemented aggressive reforms that centralized tax powers, privatized failing state-owned enterprises, and promoted private home ownership. While he is remembered in state media as a brilliant leader, his policies came at a steep price.
His restructuring efforts resulted in the layoffs of 30 million workers over five years and exacerbated wealth inequality across the country.
A survivor of Mao’s purges, Zhu was known for his blunt, pragmatic style, famously calling out corrupt officials and labeling shoddy infrastructure projects as 'tofu dregs.' Despite his reputation as a reformer, he remained a loyal servant of the Communist Party, overseeing the transition that solidified China’s status as a formidable competitor on the world stage.
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