China’s Former President Jiang Zemin, who was well known for guiding China to rise, is now more.

In a surprising choice to be the leader of a divided Communist Party thirty three years ago after the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Jiang Zemin saw China through history-making changes.  The changes include the return of Hong Kong from British rule in the year 1997, Beijing’s entry into the WTO in 2001 and a revival of market-oriented reforms.

Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin is known for leading his country out of isolation after being criticized around the globe for the crushing of pro-democracy protests at Tiananmen Square. He was also known for supporting economic reforms that eventually led to a decade of explosive growth. The former Chinese president was 96.

During his rule over China, China opened to the outside stamping out dissent at home. His government jailed labor and pro-democracy activists, human rights activists banning the Falun Gong spiritual movement. His government viewed the movement as a threat to the Communist Party’s political monopoly.

Jiang Zemin was initially seen as a Chinese transitional leader who was on the verge of retirement when the top responsibility caught him. With a mandate he came on the front from then-paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and both of the leaders then pulled together the country and the party also. Nevertheless, Jiang proved transformative for real and in his rule of 13 years as Communist Party general secretary, he reached to the top position in the country. He then guided China’s rise to global economic power and for this he welcomed capitalists into the Communist Party as well as pulled in foreign investment with joining the WTO.

The then Chinese president  presided over the nation’s rise being a global manufacturer. He has a long list of achievements viz. the return of Hong Kong and Macao from Britain, along with achievement of a long-cherished dream included winning the competition for hosting the Olympic Games which was earlier refused to China.