Jiang Zemin, a former Chinese president who helped his nation escape isolation following the suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and who backed economic reforms that ushered in a decade of exponential growth, has passed away, according to official television. He was 96, according to the Associated Press.
Jiang passed away in Shanghai, according to state TV's website.
After the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Jiang was unexpectedly chosen to lead a split Communist Party. Under his leadership, China underwent significant historical changes, including a revival of market-oriented reforms, Hong Kong's reunification with China in 1997, and Beijing's admission to the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Even as China opened to the outside, Jiang's government stamped out dissent at home. It jailed human rights, labor and pro-democracy activists and banned the Falun Gong spiritual movement, which it viewed as a threat to the Communist Party's monopoly on power.
Follow the latest news on Google News
