Zhu Rongji, the former Premier of the State Council of China, passed away on August 12 in Beijing at the age of 98. Following his death, Chinese media outlets have been commemorating his achievements, while social media users express their condolences.
Throughout his life, Zhu was known for his impactful statements. He was appointed Premier in March 1998 during the National People's Congress. In his first press conference, he declared, "Whether there are minefields or cliffs ahead, I will move forward without looking back, dedicating myself fully until my last breath." This phrase, 'ju gong jin cui, si er hou yi,' was originally spoken by Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period and garnered significant attention.
In a famous remark during an anti-corruption meeting in 1998, Zhu stated, "To eradicate corruption, we must start with the big fish. I have prepared 100 coffins; 99 are for corrupt officials, and the remaining one is for me."
When catastrophic flooding struck the Yangtze River basin in 1998, he visited a poorly constructed levee in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, and criticized local officials, saying, "You claimed it was as solid as a fortress, yet the levee is as weak as tofu." He harshly condemned the substandard construction, referring to it as 'tofu work' and 'bastard work.'
In a 2002 press conference, responding to public perceptions that he was aggressive, he acknowledged, "I have slammed the table and glared, but I have never intimidated ordinary citizens; my focus was solely on corrupt officials."
During a visit to Hong Kong in 2002, he remarked, "If Hong Kong does not thrive, the responsibility lies not only with you but also with us. If Hong Kong, having returned to the motherland, falters under our watch, we will be the nation's sinners." He then proclaimed, "I love Hong Kong!"
When asked in 2000 what legacy he hoped to leave after his retirement, Zhu replied, "If the people say Zhu Rongji was an honest official and not a corrupt one, I would be satisfied. If they could say I did some good work, that would be even better."
In March 2000, ahead of China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Zhu expressed his views at a press conference, stating, "If President Bill Clinton prevents China from joining the WTO now, he will regret it for the next 20 years. To add to that, the U.S. will regret it for a century." He emphasized that China made significant concessions during the WTO negotiations and that the U.S. would reap substantial economic benefits from China's membership.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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