Jiang Zemin

Jiang Zemin - Politician, Timeline and Family

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Jiang Zemin's Personal Details

Jiang Zemin is a retired politician and a former President of China

InformationDetail
BirthdayAugust 17, 1926
NationalityChinese
FamousLeaders, Political Leaders, Presidents, Politician
SpousesWang Yeping (m. 1949)
SiblingsJiang Zehui
Known asJiang Ze Min, Jiangzemin
ChildrensJiang Mianheng, Jiang Miankang
Universities
  • Yangzhou High School of Jiangxi Province
  • Zhongyang University
  • Chiao Tung University
  • Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Birth PlaceYangzhou, Jiangsu
ReligionAtheism, Taoism
Height176
GenderMale
FatherJiang Shijun
MotherWang Zhelan
Sun SignLeo
Born inYangzhou, Jiangsu
Famous asPolitician

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Jiang Zemin's photo

Who is Jiang Zemin?

Jiang Zemin is a former Chinese politician, best known for his key role in the success of the ‘Communist Party of China’ (CPC). He was the general secretary of the party from 1989 to 2002 and has also served as the chairman of the ‘Central Military Commission.’ In addition, he was also the president of the ‘People’s Republic of China’ from 1993 to 2003. Jiang’s political ascent was unexpected, as he climbed up the ladder as a “compromise candidate.” He rose to fame following the ‘Tiananmen Square’ protests that took place in 1989. The then-general secretary, Zhao Ziyang, was thrown out because of his support to the student movement. Soon, Jiang took his place, and in the following few years, he proved his strength as a political leader and turned into a “paramount leader.” The country grew rapidly on both the social and the economic fronts under his strong leadership. Although he stepped down from the post of the general secretary of the ‘CPC’ in 2002, he continued to influence the workings of the party till much later. At the age of 91, he is currently the oldest living former president or general secretary.

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Childhood & Early Life

Jiang Zemin was born on August 17, 1926, in Yangzhou, Jiangsu. His ancestral home was in Jiangwan, a Chinese province that was home to several prominent Chinese intellectuals and politicians. Jiang was born at the peak of the Japanese occupation of China, right after the First World War. His uncle, who was also his foster father, was in the Chinese army and was considered a national hero after his death in the Second World War.

Zemin’s father, Jiang Shijun, worked at the publicity department of the Nanking regime, which was a Japanese puppet government. Shijun severed all ties with his family, and following this incident, Zemin’s uncle took him under his custody. After his uncle’s death in the World War, Zemin and the family experienced hard times. His father Shijun was a wealthy man but never came ahead to help.

Zemin enrolled in the electrical engineering program at the ‘National Central University’ in Nanjing and was later transferred to the ‘National Chiao Tung University.’ He finally graduated in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

His political aspirations grew while he was in college, and he is said to have become a worker of the ‘CPC’ while he was in college. He received his training at the ‘Stalin Automobile Works’ in Moscow. He frequently switched jobs and eventually acquired a spot on the ‘Central Committee of the Communist Party’ in 1983, as the ‘Minister of Electric Industries.’

In the mid-80s, he was offered the position of the ‘Mayor’ of Shanghai, one of the busiest metropolitan cities in China. His reign was considered to be very weak at that time. His haters believed that although he seemed useful, he was mostly an “empty vessel.”

Although he had a chaotic early political career, Jiang was known as an accomplished orator, who spoke several foreign languages, such as Russian, Romanian, and English. These skills helped him become popular with the foreign delegates and celebrities who visited China.

Ascension to National Politics

Jiang Zemin’s foray into national politics happened in 1987, when he acquired a seat in the ‘Politburo’ of the ‘CPC Central Committee.’ However, his place was not earned, as it was a custom to have a seat reserved for the ‘Party Secretary’ of Shanghai. Soon, intense protests broke out in in Tiananmen Square, and the central government did not know the right way to handle the protestors.

The general secretary of the party, Zhao Ziyang, had liberal tendencies. He was not in tune with the principles of the ‘CPC.’ He was sympathetic toward the protestors. This made the party supreme Deng Xiaoping search for a replacement. Jiang had shut down the newspaper ‘World Economic Herald,’ which was a significantly brave step. Deng noticed this, and Jiang, who was serving as the ‘Shanghai Party Secretary’ at that time, was given the position of the general secretary of the ‘CPC.’

Although Jiang was now given the top position in the party’s leadership, he was not given enough power. Over time, he earned the respect of the party’s elders and propagated against the liberalization. He stated that in order for the ‘CPC’ to maintain its hold over the country, modernization and economic reforms needed to be put in place.

1993 was the year of economic reforms in China, as Jiang brought introduced a “socialist market economy,” which was step forward from the existing socialist economy toward a government-regulated capitalist market economy. With his effective policies, he earned the confidence of Deng and diminished the ‘Central Advisory Committee.’ In 1993, he contested the ‘Presidency’ elections.

In March 1993, he was named the fifth president of the ‘Republic of China.’ In the 90s, following the economic reforms, the country faced many issues related to corruption and unequal distribution of wealth. It further gave rise to a growing rate of unemployment in the country. The migration of people from rural areas to urban areas was taking place in great numbers, and the entire country was on the verge of collapsing.

Determined to turn the course of the events around, Jiang introduced reforms to bring stability to China, in 1996. He used the media, which was mostly state-controlled, to his benefit. He gave interviews to foreign media houses too and further halted the activities of almost all his political rivals. This helped him take complete control of the country, and the death of Deng Xiaoping further elevated his position.

Well aware of the requirement of a strong economic wave in the country, he handed over the economic governance of the country to his close ally Zhu Rongji, and they went through the Asian financial crisis of 1997. However, with time, China turned into a strong economic nation and maintained an annual GDP growth of 8%, eventually becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

China ended up becoming the fastest-growing nation in terms of per-capita income, and this rapid development further raised eyebrows around the world. The remarkable growth of China helped it become a superpower within two decades. What further strengthened China’s hold in the international arena was its membership of the ‘World Trade Organization’ and subsequently, China’s win of the bid to host the 2008 ‘Olympic Games’ in Beijing.

In 2002, Jiang finally vacated the post of the general secretary of ‘CPC,’ but retained his position as the chairman of the ‘Central Military Commission.’ In September 2004, he resigned from that post too, thereby losing all of his official power in the party. However, he remained a key figure and an advisor to the party’s new leadership.

Jiang has been a controversial figure in Chinese politics. He has faced several charges of corruption and inefficiency during his tenure as the president and the general secretary of his party. Jiang’s term has also seen a lot of instability due to the introduction of economic reforms, which took place at a rapid pace.

Personal Life

Jiang Zemin married Wang Yeping in 1949. The couple has two sons: Jiang Mianheng and Jiang Miankang.

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Jiang Zemin biography timelines

  • // 17th Aug 1926
    Jiang Zemin was born on August 17, 1926, in Yangzhou, Jiangsu. His ancestral home was in Jiangwan, a Chinese province that was home to several prominent Chinese intellectuals and politicians. Jiang was born at the peak of the Japanese occupation of China, right after the First World War. His uncle, who was also his foster father, was in the Chinese army and was considered a national hero after his death in the Second World War.
  • // 1947
    Zemin enrolled in the electrical engineering program at the ‘National Central University’ in Nanjing and was later transferred to the ‘National Chiao Tung University.’ He finally graduated in 1947 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
  • // 1949
    Jiang Zemin married Wang Yeping in 1949. The couple has two sons: Jiang Mianheng and Jiang Miankang.
  • // 1987
    Jiang Zemin’s foray into national politics happened in 1987, when he acquired a seat in the ‘Politburo’ of the ‘CPC Central Committee.’ However, his place was not earned, as it was a custom to have a seat reserved for the ‘Party Secretary’ of Shanghai. Soon, intense protests broke out in in Tiananmen Square, and the central government did not know the right way to handle the protestors.
  • // 1993
    1993 was the year of economic reforms in China, as Jiang brought introduced a “socialist market economy,” which was step forward from the existing socialist economy toward a government-regulated capitalist market economy. With his effective policies, he earned the confidence of Deng and diminished the ‘Central Advisory Committee.’ In 1993, he contested the ‘Presidency’ elections.
  • // 1993
    In March 1993, he was named the fifth president of the ‘Republic of China.’ In the 90s, following the economic reforms, the country faced many issues related to corruption and unequal distribution of wealth. It further gave rise to a growing rate of unemployment in the country. The migration of people from rural areas to urban areas was taking place in great numbers, and the entire country was on the verge of collapsing.
  • // 1996
    Determined to turn the course of the events around, Jiang introduced reforms to bring stability to China, in 1996. He used the media, which was mostly state-controlled, to his benefit. He gave interviews to foreign media houses too and further halted the activities of almost all his political rivals. This helped him take complete control of the country, and the death of Deng Xiaoping further elevated his position.
  • // 1997
    Well aware of the requirement of a strong economic wave in the country, he handed over the economic governance of the country to his close ally Zhu Rongji, and they went through the Asian financial crisis of 1997. However, with time, China turned into a strong economic nation and maintained an annual GDP growth of 8%, eventually becoming one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
  • // 2002
    In 2002, Jiang finally vacated the post of the general secretary of ‘CPC,’ but retained his position as the chairman of the ‘Central Military Commission.’ In September 2004, he resigned from that post too, thereby losing all of his official power in the party. However, he remained a key figure and an advisor to the party’s new leadership.
  • // 2008
    China ended up becoming the fastest-growing nation in terms of per-capita income, and this rapid development further raised eyebrows around the world. The remarkable growth of China helped it become a superpower within two decades. What further strengthened China’s hold in the international arena was its membership of the ‘World Trade Organization’ and subsequently, China’s win of the bid to host the 2008 ‘Olympic Games’ in Beijing.

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Jiang Zemin's FAQ

  • What is Jiang Zemin birthday?

    Jiang Zemin was born at 1926-08-17

  • Where is Jiang Zemin's birth place?

    Jiang Zemin was born in Yangzhou, Jiangsu

  • What is Jiang Zemin nationalities?

    Jiang Zemin's nationalities is Chinese

  • Who is Jiang Zemin spouses?

    Jiang Zemin's spouses is Wang Yeping (m. 1949)

  • Who is Jiang Zemin siblings?

    Jiang Zemin's siblings is Jiang Zehui

  • Who is Jiang Zemin childrens?

    Jiang Zemin's childrens is Jiang Mianheng, Jiang Miankang

  • What was Jiang Zemin universities?

    Jiang Zemin studied at Yangzhou High School of Jiangxi Province, Zhongyang University, Chiao Tung University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

  • What is Jiang Zemin's religion?

    Jiang Zemin's religion is Atheism, Taoism

  • How tall is Jiang Zemin?

    Jiang Zemin's height is 176

  • Who is Jiang Zemin's father?

    Jiang Zemin's father is Jiang Shijun

  • Who is Jiang Zemin's mother?

    Jiang Zemin's mother is Wang Zhelan

  • What is Jiang Zemin's sun sign?

    Jiang Zemin is Leo

  • How famous is Jiang Zemin?

    Jiang Zemin is famouse as Politician