Zhu Rongji, architect of China's growth and former premier, dies of illness at 97

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, one of the key figures behind the country’s economic transformation in the 1990s and early 2000s, has died at the age of 97.

China’s official Xinhua news agency reported that Zhu died of illness in Beijing at around 11 am on Wednesday.

Known for his sharp tongue, tough approach and willingness to take on powerful interests, Zhu served as premier from 1998 to 2003 and played a major role in reshaping China’s state-dominated economy.

He pushed state-owned companies to become more efficient, took steps to control inflation and helped steer China into the World Trade Organization (WTO). His reforms came with a heavy social cost, including millions of layoffs, but also helped lay the foundations for China’s rapid economic expansion.

From political exile to China’s top economic job

Born on October 23, 1928, in Hunan province, Zhu began his career as an economic planner. His willingness to praise economic reforms in Hungary and Yugoslavia led to him being branded a “rightist” in 1957.

He spent years away from political life and was sent to the countryside during the Cultural Revolution, where he performed manual labour. His career revived after he was rehabilitated in 1979.

Zhu rose through the ranks in Shanghai, becoming deputy party secretary in 1987 and mayor in 1988. As mayor during the politically turbulent period of 1989, he earned a reputation for handling protests with restraint and avoiding the immediate use of military force.

He later became deputy premier in 1991 and joined the Communist Party’s powerful Politburo Standing Committee in 1993.

The reformer who took on state industry

Zhu first made his national mark by tackling China’s inflation problem. As deputy premier, he imposed price controls and restricted lending to loss-making state enterprises despite opposition from local officials.

As premier, he pushed a much wider restructuring of state-owned companies. Banks, airlines, oil companies and other enterprises were reorganised to operate more like commercial corporations, while remaining under government ownership.

His economic policies helped drive rapid growth. China’s economy expanded by more than 8 per cent annually between 2000 and 2010, with growth reaching 14.2 per cent in 2007. The country eventually overtook Japan to become the world’s second-largest economy in 2010.

Zhu was also central to China’s long campaign to join the WTO. After years of negotiations, China became a member in December 2001, opening the way for a much larger role in global trade and helping the country emerge as the world’s biggest exporter.

A blunt premier who accepted blame

Zhu’s public image was unusual for a senior Communist Party leader. He openly criticised corruption and official failures and was willing to accept responsibility when the government fell short.

His tough style earned him nicknames such as “Boss” and “Madman Zhu”. In 1998, he famously said he had prepared 100 coffins — 99 for corrupt officials and one for himself.

He also apologised publicly after an explosion at a schoolhouse in southern China killed at least 42 people in 2001.

Zhu left office as premier in 2003 and largely withdrew from public life. His legacy remains closely tied to the period when China accelerated its shift from a centrally controlled economy towards a more market-oriented system while retaining state ownership of major industries.