By a Correspondent
ZIMBABWE has mourned the death of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin (96) who died on Wednesday from leukaemia and multiple organ failure.
In a post on Twitter on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said:
“Our deepest condolences to our dear Chinese brothers and sisters over the passing on of their former President.
“A renowned statesman, Jiang Zemin oversaw the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2000, which has blossomed over the past two decades and, also laid the groundwork for our increased bilateral cooperation after independence.”
The Ministry shared a picture of Zemin during his visit to Zimbabwe in 1996 when he was being welcomed at the Robert Mugabe International Airport, then Harare International Airport, by President Mnangagwa, late former President Robert Mugabe and the late former Defence Minister Moven Mahachi.
According to a report by the BBC, a Chinese Communist Party statement said he died of leukaemia and multiple organ failure.
It added that he was recognised “as an outstanding leader with high prestige” and “a long-tested Communist fighter”.
State broadcaster CCTV, the BBC reported, lauded Zemin’s role in the quelling of violent protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989.
“During the serious political turmoil in China in the spring and summer of 1989, Comrade Jiang Zemin supported and implemented the correct decision of the Party Central Committee to oppose unrest, defend the socialist state power and safeguard the fundamental interests of the people,” it said.
The BBC said under Zemin’s stewardship, a formidable economy was forged, the Communists tightened their grip on power, and China took its place at the top table of world powers.
“He oversaw the peaceful handover of Hong Kong in 1997, and China’s entry into the World Trade Organisation in 2001 which intertwined the country with the global economy,” read the report.
