**Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji Passes Away Amid Political Sensitivity**
On August 12, 2026, Zhu Rongji, former member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and Premier of the State Council, passed away at the age of 97. His death comes at a sensitive time, coinciding with the upcoming Fifth Plenary Session of the Communist Party in Beidaihe. Experts speculate that Zhu was against Xi Jinping, and his passing during this critical period could potentially be seized upon by anti-Xi factions to spark a movement against Xi.
According to the official obituary, Zhu Rongji passed away at 11:06 a.m. Beijing time on August 12, 2026, at the age of 97.
Shen Mingshi, a researcher at the National Security Institute of the Taiwan Defense Academy, told a reporter from Dajiyuan, “Zhu Rongji has always been seen as someone who opposed Xi Jinping.”
He mentioned that Zhu Rongji, having served as Premier of the State Council in the past, had strong opinions as the Chinese government continuously failed to fulfill its promises upon joining the World Trade Organization. “In March 2022, reports surfaced that Zhu Rongji had submitted nine critical opinions to the central authority, specifically targeting the poor state of the economy under Xi Jinping’s leadership.”
On March 25, 2022, overseas Chinese media revealed that Zhu Rongji had submitted a memorandum to the central government on March 10, outlining nine sharp opinions, all directed at Xi Jinping. For instance, the ninth opinion stated, “Advocate speaking the truth fearlessly. I, Zhu Rongji, am not afraid of audits, detentions, or repercussions on my descendants. Speak your mind.”
On March 15 of the same year, The Wall Street Journal published an article titled “China’s Economic Contraction Exposes Cracks in Xi Jinping’s Power,” citing internal sources within the Communist Party who disclosed that some retired Communist Party leaders with remaining political influence openly opposed Xi Jinping’s disruption of the established leadership succession system, with Zhu Rongji among the dissenters.
Shen Mingshi further analyzed, “The timing is quite sensitive with the Fifth Plenary Session scheduled for October. Whether Xi Jinping will seek reelection or if there will be a transfer of power, these are delicate matters. If Xi Jinping insists on reelection or continues with activities aimed at prolonging his tenure, there could be individuals or anti-Xi factions utilizing Zhu Rongji’s commemoration to protest against Xi, potentially leading to political upheaval.”
He added, “In general, Zhu Rongji’s passing may not directly trigger a restructuring of high-level power dynamics. However, given the sensitivity of the current social and economic situation in China, it might serve as a legitimate outlet for expressing dissatisfaction with both politics and the economy. It’s hard to predict.” Shen Mingshi emphasized that the Chinese authorities would handle Zhu Rongji’s funeral with utmost formality and a subdued approach to quell any possible large-scale public mourning events.
Nevertheless, Chinese affairs expert and seasoned political commentator Chen Pokong believed that China would not witness a wave of mourning similar to that following the death of Hu Yaobang. “Zhou Enlai, Hu Yaobang, and Li Keqiang sparked three waves of mourning and protests, following what Deng Xiaoping called ‘using dead people to suppress the living.’ That was the scenario at the time. Although there may be mourning for Zhu Rongji, it probably won’t escalate to such a significant scale.”
He remarked that Zhu Rongji’s passing could be viewed as positive news for Xi Jinping. “Zhu Rongji was a political veteran and a reformist, which makes Xi Jinping wary of him. Xi Jinping is not only apprehensive of political veterans but also of reformists.”