China’s Trade Titan Zhu Rongji Dies at 97

Zhu Rongji, the former Chinese Premier, left a lasting mark on the country’s economy. He played a key role in getting China into the World Trade Organization in 2002, opening factories to global markets.

His reforms moved tax control from local to central governments, shut down failing state enterprises, and pushed home‑ownership, all of which sparked double‑digit growth.

The changes were bold—over 30 million workers lost jobs, and inequality grew, yet China emerged as a global manufacturing powerhouse.

Born in 1928 in Hunan, Zhu studied electrical engineering and joined the Communist Party in 1949. He survived two political purges before rising to Premier.

Known for his direct style, he once called rogue bankers “half‑wits” and described river flood dykes as “flimsy as tofu dregs.” State media hailed him as a “loyal Communist fighter” and “outstanding leader.”

Zhu’s legacy is a blend of revolt, struggle, and brilliance—leading China from a closed, communist outsider to a shining global trade giant.