China Holds Official Funeral for Former Premier Zhu Rongji

Xi Jinping and other top leaders attended an official funeral for former Premier Zhu Rongji at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing. The event marked the passing of the 97-year-old leader and included the cremation of his body.

The funeral coincided with the birth centenary of former leader Jiang Zemin, the official under whom Zhu served during the 1990s. While the state emphasized continuity between the reformist era of Jiang and Zhu and the current administration, former leader Hu Jintao did not attend the ceremony, sending a wreath instead.

The proceedings occurred as some citizens expressed nostalgia for the economic optimism of the 1990s. This sentiment contrasts with current domestic challenges, including a property crisis, shrinking job prospects for youth, and increased state control over private companies.