Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, a key architect of China's economic transformation, has died in Beijing at the age of 98. State media confirmed his death, which occurred on Wednesday.
During his tenure as premier from 1998 to 2003, Zhu spearheaded significant reforms that reshaped China's state-owned industries, pushing for efficiency and profitability. This drive for change, which led to millions of layoffs, is credited with helping China surpass Japan to become the world's second-largest economy by 2010.
Zhu's political career included a period of rural exile for advocating reforms. He is recognized for his tenacity in pushing through monumental changes, including China's historic entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). This accession was instrumental in establishing China as a global export powerhouse. His efforts built upon the foundation laid by Deng Xiaoping's 1979 reforms.