Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji to be cremated Tuesday
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago1 MIN
Summary
Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji, who died on Aug. 12 aged 98, will be cremated in Beijing on Tuesday. State media said the mourning arrangements include half-mast national flags across a wide range of official locations in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese diplomatic missions abroad
Key Points
- Xinhua reported on Sunday that Zhu Rongji's body will be cremated on Tuesday in Beijing after his death on Aug. 12 at age 98
- Zhu served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 14th and 15th CPC Central Committees
- He also served as premier of the State Council, placing him among the top leaders of the Chinese government
- On Tuesday, national flags will fly at half-mast at Tian'anmen Square, Xinhuamen, the Great Hall of the People and the Foreign Ministry
- Half-mast flags will also be seen at provincial-level party and government offices, Hong Kong, Macao, ports, airports and Chinese embassies and consulates
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the inclusion of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the official mourning arrangements means the city will visibly take part in a state-level tribute on Tuesday. The scale of the flag-lowering order also shows the political importance Beijing attaches to Zhu's legacy as a former premier and senior Communist Party leader