Chinese President Xi Jinping used a ceremony marking former Chinese President Jiang Zemin’s birth centenary to call for greater unity within the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and stronger support for its central leadership.
Speaking at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi described it as imperative for party members to uphold the CPC’s overall leadership and follow the centralised direction of the party leadership.
Thousands of officials attended the ceremony, including all seven members of the Politburo Standing Committee and several retired Chinese leaders.
XI PRAISES JIANG ZEMIN'S LEADERSHIP
Xi urged Communist Party members to learn from Jiang's political conviction, commitment to communist ideals and approach to handling major crises.
Jiang served as CPC general secretary from 1989 to 2002 and as China's president from 1993 to 2003. He died in 2022 at the age of 96.
According to China's state-run Xinhua news agency, Xi said the party must strengthen its leadership and ensure that it remains the central force guiding China's socialist development.
The remarks placed particular emphasis on maintaining party discipline and centralised leadership as China prepares for another major political transition.
WHO WAS JIANG ZEMIN?
Jiang became China's Communist Party chief in the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, when Chinese authorities suppressed pro-democracy protests in Beijing.
His leadership coincided with several major changes in China's domestic and international position.
During his tenure, China navigated Western sanctions following Tiananmen, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98.
Jiang also oversaw a period of economic reform and greater integration of China into the global economy.
He stepped down as party general secretary in 2002 and handed over the presidency to Hu Jintao in 2003. Jiang retained his position as chairman of the Central Military Commission until 2004, allowing the leadership transition to take place gradually.
SENIOR CHINESE LEADERS ATTEND CEREMONY
Several senior and former officials attended the centenary ceremony.
Former premier Wen Jiabao and former vice-presidents Wang Qishan and Zeng Qinghong were among those present.
However, former President Hu Jintao was absent, according to reports.
The gathering brought together members of China's current leadership as well as senior figures from earlier generations of the Communist Party.
XI'S MESSAGE ON PARTY UNITY
Xi's remarks went beyond a tribute to Jiang.
The Chinese president stressed the importance of maintaining the party's overall leadership, strengthening party discipline and ensuring that the CPC remains the central leadership force in China's political system.
The emphasis on centralised leadership is particularly significant given Xi's growing consolidation of power within the party.
Xi became CPC general secretary in 2012 and president in 2013. He subsequently secured a historic third five-year term and became the first Chinese leader since Mao Zedong to remain in power beyond two five-year terms.
Xi has also been formally designated the party's “core” leader, a status historically associated with Mao.
XI EXPECTED TO SEEK FOURTH TERM
China is expected to hold its next Communist Party national congress in 2027, when the country's political leadership will once again come under scrutiny.
Xi is widely expected to seek a fourth term as party general secretary.
Against that backdrop, his call for party unity and loyalty to the central leadership carries added political significance.
Rather than simply commemorating Jiang Zemin, Xi's speech also reinforced the principle that the Communist Party's central leadership must remain firmly aligned behind its current leadership structure.
ZHU RONGJI ALSO REMEMBERED
The Jiang centenary comes shortly before China is due to hold the funeral of another former senior leader, former Premier Zhu Rongji, who died on August 12 at the age of 98.
Zhu served as premier from 1998 to 2003 and was associated with economic reforms, efforts to tackle corruption and major restructuring of China's state-owned enterprises.
The two commemorations provide an opportunity for China's current leadership to highlight the country's political and economic transformation over previous decades.
For Xi, however, the Jiang centenary also offered a platform to send a clear message about the importance of party discipline, centralised leadership and political unity as China approaches its next major leadership milestone.
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