Historical Figure
Jiang Zemin
d. 2022
Leader of China from 1989 to 2002
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Biography
Jiang Zemin was a Chinese politician who served as the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1989 to 2002, as the chairman of the Central Military Commission from 1989 to 2004, and as the president of China from 1993 to 2003. Jiang was the fourth paramount leader of China from 1989 to 2002. He was the core leader of the third generation of Chinese leadership, one of four core leaders alongside Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, and Xi Jinping.
Timeline
The story of Jiang Zemin, told in moments.
Trained at the Stalin Automobile Works in Moscow. An electrical engineer by training. Fluent in Russian, passable English, and fond of quoting poetry and singing Elvis Presley songs in public.
Became mayor of Shanghai. Managed the city's rapid modernization. When student protests erupted in 1986, he defused them by meeting students directly and reciting the Gettysburg Address from memory. In English.
Named General Secretary of the Communist Party after the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Deng Xiaoping chose him partly because he'd handled Shanghai's protests without bloodshed.
Presided over Hong Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty after 156 years of British colonial rule. The midnight ceremony was attended by Prince Charles and Tony Blair.
Stepped down as General Secretary, handing power to Hu Jintao. Kept the military chairmanship until 2004. His decade of rule saw China join the WTO, win the 2008 Olympics bid, and triple its GDP.
In Their Own Words (20)
Cheung: Why is this being raised at such an early juncture? Is there no other candidate?
Jiang: I'm sorry to say this, but today I'm speaking to you as an elder. I am not a journalist, but I've seen too much. I need to give you people some real-life experience.
Jiang: No. There's no such implication whatsoever. There's still compliance with Hong Kong's Basic Law, compliance with the election laws...
Jiang: When you asked me that just now, I could've just replied in one sentence: "No comment." But then again, you people still wouldn't be happy. So what should I do?
Jiang: What I said does not mean I have appointed him by imperial decree to serve the next term. You asked me whether I supported him. I said I do. I've told you clearly..
Artifacts (15)
Jiang Zemin in 1943
Unknown authorUnknown author; originally scanned by Nanjing University; scanned by Reddit u/22dmgxy from the book
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