Zhu Rongji, the former Premier of the State Council of China, passed away on August 12 at the age of 98. Following his death, Chinese media outlets have been commemorating his achievements, while social media users express their condolences.
Throughout his life, Zhu was known for his impactful statements. He was appointed Premier in March 1998 during the National People's Congress. In his first press conference, he declared, "Whether there are minefields or cliffs ahead, I will move forward without looking back," vowing to work tirelessly until his last breath.
In a notable anti-corruption meeting in 1998, he famously stated, "To eradicate corruption, we must start with the big fish. I have prepared 100 coffins; 99 are for corrupt officials, and the remaining one is for me."
During the devastating floods in the Yangtze River basin in 1998, he visited a poorly constructed levee in Jiangxi Province and criticized local officials, saying, "You claimed it was as solid as a steel wall, yet the levee is as weak as tofu." He harshly condemned the substandard construction.
In a 2002 press conference, responding to public perceptions that he was intimidating, he acknowledged, "I have slammed the table and glared, but I have never frightened ordinary citizens; my focus was solely on corrupt officials."
While visiting Hong Kong in 2002, he remarked, "If Hong Kong does not thrive, the responsibility lies not only with you but also with us. If Hong Kong, returned to the motherland, falters under our watch, we will be the nation's sinners," before passionately declaring, "I love Hong Kong!"
When asked in 2000 what legacy he hoped to leave after his retirement, Zhu replied, "If the people say Zhu Rongji was an honest official, not a corrupt one, I would be satisfied. If they could say I did some good work, that would be even better."
In March 2000, ahead of China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Zhu expressed his views at a press conference, stating, "If President Bill Clinton prevents China's WTO membership, he will regret it for the next 20 years. To add to that, the U.S. will regret it for a century." He emphasized that China made significant concessions during the negotiations and that U.S. economic interests would greatly benefit from China's WTO membership.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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