President Xi Jinping praised former party leader Jiang Zemin during a commemorative event in Beijing on Wednesday.
The tribute serves to reinforce Communist Party unity and consolidate Xi's own authority ahead of the 2027 Party Congress.
Speaking at the Great Hall of the People, Xi addressed thousands of participants [2] to mark Jiang Zemin’s 100th birth anniversary [1]. During the speech, Xi highlighted the role Jiang played in maintaining party control following the June 1989 Tiananmen protests.
"Jiang Zemin’s firmness after the June 1989 events helped preserve the Party’s unity," Xi said [3].
Xi used the occasion to call for a renewed commitment to the party's goals, stating that China needs an "indomitable fighting spirit" [2]. He further emphasized the necessity of internal cohesion to navigate current challenges, saying, "We must uphold the central leadership of the Party" [2].
The event also recalled the period of Jiang's leadership as a "golden age" for the Chinese economy [1]. By linking Jiang's legacy of stability to the present, Xi seeks to bridge the narrative between the reform era and his own current administration.
While official narratives focused on economic growth and stability, other observers suggest the tribute is part of a broader effort to rewrite the history of the Reform Era to better serve the needs of the current political landscape [4].
“"Jiang Zemin’s firmness after the June 1989 events helped preserve the Party’s unity."”
By praising Jiang Zemin's response to the 1989 protests, Xi Jinping is signaling that the party will prioritize state stability and central control over political liberalization. This alignment of historical narratives serves to legitimize Xi's current crackdown on dissent by framing it as a continuation of a successful strategy used by previous leaders to ensure the party's survival.
