JIANG ZEMIN
Name: Jiang Zemin
Born: 17 August 1926 Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
Jiang Zemin (born August 17, 1926) was the "core of the
third generation" of Communist Party of China leaders, serving as General
Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the
People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central
Military Commission from 1989 to 2004.
Jiang came to power in the wake of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989,
replacing Zhao Ziyang, who was purged for being too conciliatory towards the
protestors, as General Secretary. With the waning influence of Deng Xiaoping due
to old age, Jiang effectively became "paramount leader" in the 1990s. Under his
leadership, China experienced substantial developmental growth with reforms, saw
the peaceful return of Hong Kong from United Kingdom and Macau from Portugal,
and improved its relations with the outside world while the Communist Party
maintained its tight control over the government. Known to be one of China's
more charismatic political figures, Jiang has been criticized for being too
concerned about his personal image at home, and too conciliatory towards Russia
and the United States abroad. Critics also point to Jiang's inability to
maintain control on various social imbalances and problems that surfaced during
his term. Traditionalist communists in China charge Jiang of being a revisionist
leader who legitimized outright capitalism. His contribution to the Marxist
doctrine, a list of guiding ideologies by which the CCP rules China, is called
the theory of the Three Represents, which has been written into the party and
state constitutions.
Name: Jiang Zemin
Born: 17 August 1926 Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
Jiang Zemin (born August 17, 1926) was the "core of the
third generation" of Communist Party of China leaders, serving as General
Secretary of the Communist Party of China from 1989 to 2002, as President of the
People's Republic of China from 1993 to 2003, and as Chairman of the Central
Military Commission from 1989 to 2004.
Jiang came to power in the wake of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989,
replacing Zhao Ziyang, who was purged for being too conciliatory towards the
protestors, as General Secretary. With the waning influence of Deng Xiaoping due
to old age, Jiang effectively became "paramount leader" in the 1990s. Under his
leadership, China experienced substantial developmental growth with reforms, saw
the peaceful return of Hong Kong from United Kingdom and Macau from Portugal,
and improved its relations with the outside world while the Communist Party
maintained its tight control over the government. Known to be one of China's
more charismatic political figures, Jiang has been criticized for being too
concerned about his personal image at home, and too conciliatory towards Russia
and the United States abroad. Critics also point to Jiang's inability to
maintain control on various social imbalances and problems that surfaced during
his term. Traditionalist communists in China charge Jiang of being a revisionist
leader who legitimized outright capitalism. His contribution to the Marxist
doctrine, a list of guiding ideologies by which the CCP rules China, is called
the theory of the Three Represents, which has been written into the party and
state constitutions.