bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Yuanyue Dang

Wu Bangguo, the former head of China’s top legislature, died in Beijing on Tuesday morning at the age of 83, state news agency Xinhua reported.
An official obituary published by Xinhua described Wu as an “outstanding leader” of the Communist Party and the state, adding that his death was a “huge loss”.
Wu was one of China’s most powerful men between 2002 and 2012, serving as chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s top legislature, and the second-ranking member of the party.
Wu was also the second-ranking member of the Politburo Standing Committee, China’s top decision-making body, alongside former president Hu Jintao and former premier Wen Jiabao, who ranked third.
Wu was best remembered for his strong opposition to the Western political system.
At an NPC seminar in 2011, Wu identified five political arrangements that China “cannot implement”: a multiparty system, pluralistic ideologies, federalism, privatisation, and the separation of powers and bicameralism.
Wu reiterated this to lawmakers in his annual work report at the NPC session that year. Before leaving office in 2013, he insisted that “we will absolutely not copy models in the Western political system”.
The obituary said Wu stressed the principle that “the work of the National People’s Congress must adhere to the leadership of the party”.
One of Wu’s major achievements during his tenure as top legislator was presiding over the revision of the Anti-Secession Law, according to Xinhua.
The 2005 Anti-Secession Law provides a legal framework that specifies conditions under which Beijing said it would use “non-peaceful means” for the reunification of Taiwan. However, Beijing remains ambiguous about when and under what circumstances the law would be invoked.
Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any move to take the island by force and is committed to providing arms for its defence.
While serving as NPC chief, Wu had frequent interactions with Nancy Pelosi, then speaker of the US House of Representatives. This included hosting Pelosi during her visit to Beijing and meeting her during a visit to the US.

Wu started his political career in Shanghai, where he worked for decades after graduating from Tsinghua University in Beijing in 1967 with a degree in radio engineering.
From 1991, Wu served for three years as Shanghai’s party secretary – the top man in China’s financial hub – until he was promoted to the party leadership as a member of the Central Committee Secretariat.
Wu was among a handful of Shanghai officials promoted to central agencies under former president Jiang Zemin, who served as Shanghai party chief from 1987 to 1989.
Wu had been absent from several events attended by party elders in recent years, including the 20th party congress in 2022 and a concert late last month to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic.
Wu was considered the main Shanghai official responsible for the early development of the city’s Pudong New Area. The decision to develop the area was seen as key to the rapid growth of China’s most populous city after 1990.
The official obituary said Wu fulfilled the vision of former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping by implementing the “strategic decision” to develop Pudong. Wu’s work “helped Shanghai to create a new situation of all-round opening up, both at home and abroad”, according to Xinhua.
Wu also served as vice-premier from 1995 to 2002. The official obituary praised him for promoting the reform of state-owned enterprises and his role in the construction of “major infrastructure projects” such as the Three Gorges Dam.
After retiring in 2013, Wu “resolutely supported” President Xi Jinping’s leadership and his fight against corruption, and “carefully studied Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era”, according to Xinhua.
Wu’s son, Wu Lei, is chairman and party secretary of Shanghai Electric, a state-owned enterprise that manufactures large industrial equipment.


Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign nets record number of ‘tigers’ in 2024

Why China’s goal of football greatness is still a long shot despite renewed focus

China is investigating senior military official Miao Hua. Will it affect the PLA?

Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledges to crack down on unfair targeting of private firms

China’s Communist Party

Wu Bangguo, formerly China’s No 2 official, dies at age 83

Wu Bangguo, the former head of China’s top legislature, has died in Beijing, according to state media. Photo: Robert Ng

Wu Bangguo (centre) visits the Hong Kong stock exchange in 2000 while serving as Chinese vice-premier. Photo: Handout

China throws the book: more corruption suspects hit with claims of illicit reading

Allegations of reading politically forbidden books have appeared in at least a dozen corruption case readouts this year in China. Photo: Shutterstock

Zhang Zulin, former vice-governor of Yunnan province, is among officials accused of possessing and reading forbidden books. Photo: Weibo/长安街知事

Why do so many Chinese officials fall for fake promises of political charlatans?

 Illustration: Henry Wong

Fu Zhenghua, once one of China’s most powerful police chiefs, was jailed for life in 2022 for corruption. Photo: CCTV

News

China

Politics

Once one of China’s most powerful men, Wu is best remembered for his strong opposition to the Western political system


Once one of China’s most powerful men, Wu is best remembered for his strong opposition to the Western political system.


Obituaries