Troubled Period
The William Jefferson Blythe III (Bill Clinton) government in 1999 ordered the bombing of China’s embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, that left three Chinese nationals dead and ignited protests in China against the United States of America.
The George W. Bush government in 2001 committed aggression from the skies violating China’s sovereignty (i.e., the PRC’s exclusive economic zone based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and China’s claim to the Paracel Islands). On April 1, 2001, a United States Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals intelligence aircraft and a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) J-8II interceptor fighter jet collided in mid-air causing an international crisis.
The “Hainan Island incident” caused
- the death of J-8 pilot Lt. Cdr. Wang Wei (whose widow was later sent a “personal letter of condolence from U.S. President George W. Bush”); and
- the capture and detention of 24 US crew members (21 men and 3 women) who were released following a “US- issued ‘letter of the two sorries’ to the Chinese.”
Under foreign provocations and diplomatic crises, Jiang Zemin was said to have remained calm and pragmatic despite eastern critics and western opportunists. While condemning the actions of Washington, he counseled his fellow citizens to
“focus on economic development and ‘sleep on brushwood and taste the gall’”: take the insult, while retaining “focus on the long-term goal.”(Emphasis added)
President of the People’s Republic of China 1993-2003
Chairman of the Central Military Commission (Party Commission 1989-2004;
The legacy of former President Jiang Zemin, to paraphrase other reports, will be found in his display of dignity and courage; his loyalty to and defense of sovereignty, country and countrymen, fundamental principles, institutions, and a particular culture or way of being. His was an uncommon courage and confidence, a sense of shared humanity that permits a leader to reach across the chasm of hostility to a younger nation—an often reckless unipolar aggressor.
Early in life, Jiang Zemin was “a passionate student of foreign languages” who, reportedly, “learned English by studying the speeches of United States presidents Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.” At university, he studied electrical engineering. In the 1950s, he worked in Moscow. In the 1960s and 1970s, he was a deputy director of a state-owned machinery institute in Shanghai; a department chief at the Ministry of Machine-Building Industry in Beijing; and in the 1980s Shanghai mayor and later party chief in charge of Shanghai.
He married and stayed married for 73 years. He and his wife had two sons.Jiang Zemin was married in 1949 to Wang Yeping. Their sons are Jiang Mianheng, president of Shanghai Tech University; and Jiang Miankang, former director of the Shanghai Development Information Research Centre.
Respectfully Remembered
Condolences from the President of the Russian Federation
“The name of this outstanding statesman is inseparably linked with an important period in China’s modern history, marked by great achievements in economic and social development and the consolidation of international positions.
“As a sincere friend of our country, Jiang Zemin made an invaluable contribution to developing Russian-Chinese relations and bringing them to the level of trust-based partnership and strategic interaction. The Treaty of Good-Neighborhood, Friendship and Cooperation, which we signed with Jiang Zemin in 2001, laid the foundations for the qualitative development of the entire complex of bilateral ties.
“The fond memories of such an authoritative politician and remarkable person will forever remain in my heart. Please convey my sincerest sympathy to the bereaved family and friends, and to all the friendly people of China.”
(Kremlin “Condolences to President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping,” November 30, 2022: “Vladimir Putin sent condolences to President of the People’ Republic of China Xi Jinping on the death of former President of the People’s Republic of China and General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Jiang Zemin, http://en.special.kremlin.ru/events/president/news)
Remembrances
Letter of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China announcing the death of Jiang Zemin
Excerpt
‘From the people, To the people’
“(Jiang Zemin) made outstanding contributions to upholding and developing the Party’s basic theory, line, platforms and experience. … [B]y pooling the wisdom of the whole Party, Jiang formulated the ‘Theory of Three Represents,’ advancing the Party’s guiding principles in line with the times once more. …
“The Theory of Three Represents highlights that the Party always represents the developmental demands of China’s advanced productive forces, the orientation for China’s advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the greatest possible majority of the Chinese people.“We must stay true to our fundamental purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly, maintain a people-centered mindset, and carry out the mass line. We must respect the pioneering spirit of our people and ensure that we are acting for the people and relying on the people in everything we do. We must follow the principle of ‘from the people, to the people,’ and maintain a close bond with the people. We must breathe the same air as the people, share the same future, and stay truly connected to them.
“The theory follows the universal laws of development and progress in human history, and complies with the development trends of the times and the demand for social development and progress in China. It reflects the interests and aspirations of Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and holds the key to enhancing the Party’s governance capacity, consolidating its governing status and accomplishing its governing mission under new circumstances.…
“We must conscientiously study the Theory of Three Represents; learn from Jiang’s revolutionary spirit and demeanor, as well as his scientific attitude and creative spirit in applying Marxist stand, viewpoints and methods to studying new circumstances and solving new problems.
We must strive in unity to build our country into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful.”
Source
Xinhua “Jiang Zemin passes away,” Editor: huaxia November 30, 2022 “Jiang Zemin passed away due to leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai at 12:13 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2022, at the age of 96, it was announced on Wednesday. The announcement was made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), the State Council of the PRC, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commissions (CMC) of the CPC and the PRC.” https://english.news.cn/20221130/4ec6705052f648ca8e4890025eb8c003/c.html
Source
South China Morning Post “Jiang Zemin: the president who took China from Tiananmen pariah to rising power” November 30, 2022, Stella Chen in Hong Kong, Cary Huang in Hong Kong, Jun Mai in Beijing, “Jiang is hailed for mending ties with the West, the handover of Hong Kong, modernizing the Communist Party at home and a successful bid to host Olympics,” https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3201571/jiang-zemin-president-who-took-china-tiananmen-pariah-rising-power
No Statement from Washington at White House website, The White House November 29 and 30, 2022, Statements and Releases, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/
“Eternal glory to Comrade Jiang Zemin!”
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
Copyright © Carolyn LaDelle Bennett
Author’s links: www.BennettsAmericanEpitaph.com; https://www.facebook.com/carolynladelle.bennett; https://insightbeyondtodaysnews.blogspot.com/; https://www.xlibris.com/en/search?query=Carolyn+LaDelle+Bennett;
https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/828689-epitaph
No comments:
Post a Comment