Editorial | Hong Kong handover just one milestone for the man who led China out of crisis and into world
- With the country at the crossroads, Jiang Zemin kept opening up and reform on track, put paid to international isolation and ensured the city’s governing principle of ‘one country, two systems’ was adhered to
The passing of former leaders of great nations prompts reflection on their importance. In the case of Jiang Zemin, who died aged 96 on Wednesday, history is already being kind to him.
His relevance to contemporary China is uncontested. He took leadership of the Communist Party at a time of national crisis that could have changed the course of history.
He kept policies of opening up and reform on track, led China out of international isolation and implemented the unique “one country, two systems” formula for resumption of Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong.
There is much more, but that much far exceeded many people’s hopes for Jiang when late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping promoted him to the top job in 1989, in the wake of the June 4 crackdown on student democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square. Two previous successors had been purged.
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‘I’ve not really done anything special’: when Jiang Zemin reflected on his time as China’s leader
Much of the world had turned its back on China. The country was at a crossroads.
