Jiang Zemin, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 1989 to 2002, and the president of the People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, died on 30 November 2022, at the age of 96, in Shanghai. According to Xinhua News Agency, he died at 12:13 local time, from leukemia and multiple organ failures. Following a private funeral at PLA General Hospital and cremation at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, a state funeral for Jiang was held at the Great Hall of the People the next day on 6 December 2022. It was the first major state funeral held in China since 1997 when Deng Xiaoping died and the first funeral for a Chinese president since 1998 when former president Yang Shangkun died.
Death and national mourning
According to the Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency, Jiang died in Shanghai at 12:13 pm from leukemia and multiple organ failures. Xinhua published a "Letter to the whole Party, the Army, and the People of all ethnic groups in the Country" (告全党全军全国各族人民书) on 16:34, used to announce the deaths of national leaders in China.
After the letter was read and issued on state media, all channels promptly turned their television channel logos into black and white. During the announcement, the official portrait of Jiang Zemin during his leadership was shown in grayscale and coverage of funeral proceedings were accompanied by the playing of the dirge (哀乐), an instrumental piece that has been played to mark the death of every Communist Party leader since Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.
Anchors from China Central Television (CCTV), China Global Television Network (CGTN) and all local television channels wore all black, or plain color clothing when reporting news. Meanwhile, interface of all media websites such as People's Daily, Guangming Daily, People's Liberation Army Daily, Chinese Central Television, China Global Television Network, China National Radio and China Radio International turned to grayscale to commemorate the passing of Jiang Zemin. Official print such as the People's Daily, Guangming Daily, and PLA Daily published the news of Jiang Zemin's death in the same form on 1 December 2022, with a large portrait of Jiang included. During the mourning period, all variety shows and entertaining dramas were suspended. While television programs are mostly shifted to CCP-related TV drama series and documentaries, Guangdong Television replaced most of its drama series programs with historical or public interest programs. Mainland China entered into a restriction of entertaining activities, while all social media went into a state of "black and white on the homepage, suspension of entertainment, and suspension of advertising".
As the mourning period coincided with the 2022 FIFA World Cup, CCTV continued broadcasting competitions on CCTV-5, and it would still be livestreamed on Migu. Immediately after Jiang's death announcements, coverage briefly turned to black and white but later returned to broadcast in color. Online shopping platforms like Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, social media platforms like Weibo, Bilibili and Xiaohongshu were turned to black and white interfaces and the "Like" buttons on all Weibo posts related to Jiang Zemin's death were changed to chrysanthemum (a traditional Chinese mourning flower) logo. Originally scheduled to be held on 1 and 2 December 2022, tech giants Xiaomi, Huawei and Vivo announced to postpone their new product launches to mourn Jiang Zemin. After the announcement of the death of Jiang Zemin through CCTV, thousands of Chinese citizens mourned Jiang and offered flowers at his former residence in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province. The CBA announced its intention to postpone competitions scheduled on 6 December 2022, to be held on 7 December 2022 and 19 January 2023 respectively.
Funeral procession
On 30 November, the Funeral Committee of Jiang Zemin was announced. Xi Jinping was announced as its chairman, with many other current or former high-ranking officials from the CCP as members. On the day of Jiang's death, the Chinese Communist Party released a notice that the national flags would be flown half-staff in key locations of Beijing and diplomatic missions abroad. Foreign heads of state and government were not invited to attend official mourning activities.
On 1 December, a farewell ceremony was held at Huadong Hospital in Shanghai, where some officials from Shanghai and the Funeral Committee, Jiang's friends and relatives and the medical staff paid their respects. Jiang's remains were then transported from the hospital to the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, and then escorted from Shanghai to Beijing by Funeral Committee members and Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi on a special plane. The plane arrived at the Beijing Xijiao Airport at 3:55 pm, where it was received by top leaders including Xi and members of the Politburo Standing Committee.
On 5 December, Xi, members of the Politburo Standing Committee including those who stepped down at the 20th CCP National Congress, other party and state leaders, as well as former leader (and Jiang's successor) Hu Jintao and former premier Wen Jiabao bid farewell to Jiang's body at the 301 Hospital, where they conferred their condolences to Jiang's relatives. Afterwards, they accompanied the hearse carrying Jiang's remains to the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, where they gave their final farewells. The body was cremated at the cemetery.
On 6 December, the memorial service for Jiang was held at the Great Hall of the People. The memorial began at 10:05 am, and was presided by Cai Qi. It began with a three-minute moment of silence, with the Chinese anthem being played afterwards. Afterwards, Xi Jinping gave a eulogy, stating that Jiang "was an outstanding leader with high prestige, a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionist, statesman, military strategist, diplomat, a long-tested communist fighter, and a social leader with Chinese characteristics. He is an outstanding leader of the great cause of communism, the core of the third-generation central leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, and the main founder of the important thought of the "Three Represents". General Secretary Xi Jinping said, "We deeply mourn Comrade Jiang Zemin, and we will turn our grief into strength, and in accordance with the deployment of the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, we will work together to build a socialist modern country in an all-round way and comprehensively promote the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." After Xi's eulogy, the Internationale was played, with the ceremony concluding afterwards.
On 11 December, after the conclusion of the memorial services, Jiang's ashes were carried onto a special plane which circled and flew slowly over Beijing before arriving in Shanghai, where it was taken onboard PLA Navy frigate Yangzhou (578) at the Wusong Military Port. At 12:20, Jiang's widow Wang Yeping and other relatives, as well as Cai Qi, slowly scattered Jiang's ashes along with colourful flower petals at the mouth of the Yangtze River.
Reactions
People's Republic of China
Mainland China
- After the death of Jiang Zemin was announced, websites of various government departments used a black and white interface.
- Siao Yong-ruei, chairman of Wuhan Taiwanese Association; Chen Chi An, chairman of Guangzhou Taiwanese Association and Wu Chia Ying, chairman of Xiamen Taiwanese Association delivered their condolences to former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin: "We are very grateful to him (Jiang Zemin) for his dedication to the development of cross-strait relations and his concern for Taiwan compatriots." Meanwhile, Li Chêng Hung, chairman of the National Federation of Taiwanese Enterprises in mainland China said: "In memory of Mr. Jiang Zemin's achievements and contributions, Taiwanese businessmen and compatriots of our generation should work harder, seize new historical opportunities, promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, integration and development, and promote cross-strait peaceful reunification, and come to comfort Mr. Jiang Zemin".
Hong Kong
Government
- Chief Executive John Lee expressed his deep sorrow over the passing of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. He said: "On behalf of the HKSAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Jiang's family. He broke new grounds for the country's comprehensive reform and opening up, implemented the basic policies of law-based governance of the country and upheld the principles of 'peaceful reunification of China' and 'one country, two systems', making great contributions to the realisation of the smooth return of Hong Kong and Macau". Furthermore, he acknowledged Jiang Zemin as an outstanding leader with high prestige as he was the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents.
- President of the Legislative Council Andrew Leung also expressed deep condolences on the death of Jiang on behalf of all LegCo members. He commended Jiang as an outstanding leader who led the country to modernization, promoted economic development and raised the living standard of the people, and said that Hong Kong was always close to the heart of Jiang as he visited Hong Kong several times and reached out to various sectors of the community to understand its development and public sentiment.
- Starting from 1 December 2022, the national Chinese flag and HKSAR flag at all government buildings, the Legislative Council Complex and the Judiciary departments were flown at half mast, to commemorate former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin. Furthermore, the interface of the HKSAR Government's website was turned to black and white as well.
- On 6 December 2022, the day of Jiang Zemin's state funeral, the HKSAR Government arranged the Hong Kong Executive Council, all bureaus and departments, and economic and trade offices abroad to observe 3 minutes of silence. All government-funded or held entertainment and celebratory events were to be postponed or cancelled. Primary and secondary schools, special schools, kindergartens, international schools and private-funded institutions were advised to hoist the Chinese and Hong Kong flags at half mast and observe a 3-minute mourning at 10am, on request by the Hong Kong Education Bureau. Furthermore, the Education Bureau advised all schools to suspend celebratory events and watch the official memorial ceremony. The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau of the HKSAR government broadcast the ceremony in designated locations at all 18 districts.