Xi honors Jiang Zemin, praising his role after the Tiananmen crackdown
Xi Jinping lauded former leader Jiang Zemin at a ceremony marking Jiang’s would-be 100th birthday, highlighting his actions following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping used a ceremony commemorating the would-be 100th birthday of former president Jiang Zemin to celebrate the late official’s role in the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown. Speaking before the entire Politburo, Xi praised Jiang’s "correct decisions" that quelled anti-communist dissent and maintained stability in Shanghai during the "serious political turmoil" of spring-summer 1989.
The event, which lasted 40 minutes, excluded Jiang’s successor Hu Jintao and was accompanied by a state-sponsored 12-part documentary on Jiang’s career. One outlet’s coverage called Jiang a "long-tested communist fighter" and highlighted his contributions to reform, WTO entry and socialist modernization. International observers noted the speech subtly endorsed the mass killings of the Tiananmen crackdown as a "political vaccine." The celebration signals a shift in the Party’s narrative, openly acknowledging and praising the 1989 repression.
Why it matters
The event shows China’s leadership openly praising the Tiananmen crackdown, indicating a hardening of official historical narrative.
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