Xi Jinping praises Tiananmen crackdown at ceremony marking Jiang Zemin's 100th birth anniversary

Chinese President Xi Jinping led a grand ceremony at the Great Hall of the People on August 17, 2026, to mark the 100th anniversary of late leader Jiang Zemin's birth. In a 40-minute speech, Xi praised the Communist Party's brutal 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square pro-democracy protesters and called on the nation to adopt an "indomitable fighting spirit" to face modern economic and geopolitical challenges. The event served as a show of party unity, attended by all seven Politburo Standing Committee members, though former President Hu Jintao was notably absent.

Jiang Zemin centenary ceremony

• ▪The People's Bank of China announced plans in August 2026 to issue a set of commemorative coins bearing Jiang Zemin's image to mark the late leader's birth centenary.
• ▪Chinese President Xi Jinping led a grand ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on August 17, 2026, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of late leader Jiang Zemin.

Tiananmen crackdown endorsement

• ▪China's state broadcaster aired a 12-part prime-time documentary series chronicling Jiang Zemin's life, including his 1989 shutdown of a reformist Shanghai newspaper that supported pro-democracy demonstrations.
• ▪During his commemorative speech on August 17, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised the Communist Party's 1989 decision to reject pro-democracy demands and clear Tiananmen Square using troops and tanks.
• ▪Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that Jiang Zemin resolutely supported and implemented the Central Committee's correct decisions during the 1989 political upheaval, effectively maintaining stability in Shanghai.

Xi fighting spirit rhetoric

• ▪Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the Communist Party to heighten its sense of vigilance against potential dangers and defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests.
• ▪During his August 17, 2026 speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on the country to show an "indomitable fighting spirit" to actively confront major challenges, rough seas, and raging storms.

Politburo Standing Committee attendance

• ▪All seven members of China's Politburo Standing Committee and several retired state leaders, including Wen Jiabao and Wang Qishan, attended the centenary ceremony on August 17, 2026.
• ▪Former Chinese President Hu Jintao, who is 83 years old and was Jiang Zemin's immediate successor, was absent from the centenary ceremony on August 17, 2026.

Economic reform era legacy

• ▪Under the leadership of Jiang Zemin and former premier Zhu Rongji, who died in August 2026, China implemented major economic reforms, including joining the World Trade Organization in 2001.
• ▪Chinese President Xi Jinping's state-driven economic policy of technological autonomy and central control stands in contrast to the private entrepreneurship and market reforms emphasized during Jiang Zemin's era.

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