Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji’s body was cremated today (18th) at Babaoshan in Beijing. The Chinese authorities have tightened security measures, with roadblocks set up around Babaoshan, and a large number of police and plainclothes officers patrolling the area, leaving the residents of Beijing feeling helpless. There are reports that the official mourning activities are being downplayed, as the authorities are vigilant against any public expressions of dissatisfaction.
According to official sources, Zhu Rongji passed away at 11:06 am on the 12th in Beijing at the age of 98. His farewell ceremony was held today at Babaoshan.
A Beijing media person, Yang Feng (pseudonym), informed Epoch Times that gatherings are not allowed today, and the entire area of Babaoshan is sealed off.
“From Tiananmen East Station, Tiananmen West Station towards Babaoshan. Passing through Fuxingmen, Muxidi, then Wanshou Road heading west, that area is Babaoshan. Along the way, there are police everywhere, and even buses are being rerouted today. I almost couldn’t make it back today,” Yang Feng said. He continued, “Walking along West Chang’an Avenue, police are present all the way, about every twenty to thirty meters, and there are personnel wearing red armbands. There are almost 200 people if I counted correctly.”
As Yang Feng walked past, he noticed police officers hiding by the edge of the woods. He mentioned that he was only there to take a look, but the police informed him, “There are no interview activities today.” When he circled around, the police kept a close eye on him.
According to Central News Agency reports, the roads around Babaoshan such as Shijingshan Road, Lugu Road, Sculpture Garden Middle Street, Fuxing Road, and Yuquan Road junctions are crowded with public security and plainclothes officers to maintain order.
The reporter from the media outlet was subjected to checks in the adjacent neighborhoods of Babaoshan Cemetery and was informed that there were no arranged interviews for today.
At the Yubei Road station before the Babaoshan subway station, the intersections, every subway exit, and overpasses were filled with public security and plainclothes officers with earpieces. They instructed people not to gather and to quickly leave, and they would stop anyone seen taking photos with their phones.
The report mentioned that the level of vigilance and control had locals jokingly referring to the situation as a “martial law.”
One Beijing resident mentioned that she didn’t specifically come to bid farewell to Zhu Rongji, but while taking an early stroll in a nearby park, she found the north entrance sealed off, realizing the activities scheduled for that day. She expressed disappointment, saying that the road closures prevented people from paying their respects to Zhu Rongji.
Following Zhu Rongji’s passing, online reports showed that some people spontaneously visited his ancestral home in Changsha, Hunan to offer flowers and condolences, with on-site control measures. Some netizens who posted online to mourn were subjected to scrutiny. Mainland veteran media person Gao Yu revealed on the X platform that she was banned by the Chinese government from posting any content related to Zhu Rongji.
On the day Zhu Rongji passed away, sources within the Chinese Communist Party revealed to Epoch Times that Zhu Rongji was monitored by the Party in his later years. The current concern among senior Party officials is that the public might take advantage of mourning Zhu Rongji to express dissatisfaction with the current situation, potentially leading to a broader social sentiment.
Previously, the passing of former Chinese General Secretary Hu Yaobang triggered waves of mourning and protests. When former Premier Li Keqiang passed away suddenly in October 2023, there were large-scale spontaneous mourning activities both online and in his hometown of Anhui Province.
At Li Keqiang’s cremation at Babaoshan in Beijing on November 2, 2023, a large number of people gathered along the road leading to the cemetery to bid him a final farewell. Plainclothes and uniformed police officers formed a line along the hundreds of meters of road, blockading traffic and keeping a close watch on unofficial and foreign media reporters.
The official account from the authorities stated that on October 27, 2023, Li Keqiang “died of a sudden heart attack while resting in Shanghai.” However, there were various rumors online regarding Li Keqiang’s cause of death, with some of them implicating Xi Jinping. Xinhua News Agency veteran journalist Gu Wanming publicly questioned whether Li Keqiang was harmed by “ambitious Party members, conspirators, and corrupt elements.” Later news emerged that Gu Wanming not only received a secret sentence but also lost his retirement benefits.
Regarding Zhu Rongji’s farewell ceremony, according to reports from the Central News Agency, under the tight control of the authorities, while the scene of the public spontaneously lining the streets to bid a farewell to Li Keqiang in 2023 did not occur, many residents in Beijing still lingered outside the adjacent roadside shops not far from the cemetery.
Yang Feng told Epoch Times that with Zhu Rongji’s passing and the completion of today’s farewell ceremony, it is time to turn the page. Domestic media outlets are toning down coverage of the event. Apart from reports by Xinhua News Agency and other central media, local media seems to be downplaying the importance of the event.