Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders receive Jiang Zemin's remains at the Xijiao Airport in Beijing on December 1, 2022. Photo: Xinhua

The remains of Comrade Jiang Zemin were transferred to Beijing from Shanghai aboard a special flight on Thursday afternoon.

Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders including Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Wang Qishan, received Jiang's remains at the Xijiao Airport in Beijing and extended deep condolences to Jiang's relatives.

Cai Qi, some staff members of the office of Comrade Jiang Zemin's Funeral Committee, and Jiang's relatives escorted his remains from Shanghai to Beijing.

The national flag flew at half mast at the Xijiao Airport. Adding to the solemn atmosphere were black banners with white characters that read "Eternal glory to Comrade Jiang Zemin!" and "Comrade Jiang Zemin always lives in our hearts."

Xi, his wife Peng Liyuan, and others, wearing black armbands and with white flowers pinned to their chests, stood solemnly on the tarmac. 

The special flight touched down at 3:55 pm. Twelve honor guards escorted and carried the casket to disembark from the plane.

Xi and others bowed three times before Jiang's remains and watched the casket being carried onto a hearse.

At noon, a farewell ceremony was held at Huadong Hospital in Shanghai. Staff members of the office of Comrade Jiang Zemin's Funeral Committee, officials in Shanghai, Jiang's relatives and friends, and medical staff paid their respects at the ceremony. As the hearse made its journey from the hospital to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, Shanghai residents lined the streets to pay tribute to Jiang.

Jiang passed away due to leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai at 12:13 pm on November 30, 2022, at the age of 96, it was announced on Wednesday. 

Jiang was hailed as an outstanding leader enjoying high prestige acknowledged by the whole Party, the entire military, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.

Jiang was a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist and diplomat, a long-tested communist fighter, and an outstanding leader of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He was the core of the third generation of central collective leadership of the Communist Party of China and the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents.

A memorial meeting for Comrade Jiang Zemin will be held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on December 6, according to an announcement from Comrade Jiang Zemin's Funeral Committee Thursday.

The No. 2 Announcement issued by the committee says that in view of the exceptional contributions Comrade Jiang Zemin made to the development of the Party and the country, and the common wishes of the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, the following decisions have been made.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission will hold a solemn memorial meeting for Comrade Jiang Zemin in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on December 6. The memorial meeting will start from 10 am, the announcement said.

The memorial meeting will be broadcast live and all localities and departments should organize Party members, cadres and the masses to listen to or watch the live broadcast, it added.

On the day the memorial meeting is held, the national flag will be flown at half-mast across the country as well as at China's embassies, consulates and other agencies stationed overseas. Public entertainment activities will be suspended on that day, the announcement said.

When the mourning session is held at the memorial meeting, people across the country will pay a three-minute silent tribute, horns will be honked for three minutes, and air defense sirens will be sounded for three minutes.

No ceremony for paying last respects to Jiang's remains will be held, the announcement said.

World leaders, envoys and other politicians have expressed their condolences over the death of the former Chinese president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent condolences to President Xi Jinping over the death of Jiang Zemin, according to a message uploaded to the Kremlin website on Wednesday.

 "The name of this outstanding statesman is inseparably linked with an important period in China's modern history, marked by great achievements in economic and social development and the consolidation of international positions," read the message.

"As a sincere friend of our country, Jiang Zemin made an invaluable contribution to developing Russian-Chinese relations and bringing them to the level of trust-based partnership and strategic interaction. The Treaty of Good-Neighbourhood, Friendship and Co-operation, which we signed with Jiang Zemin in 2001, laid the foundations for the qualitative development of the entire complex of bilateral ties," the message said.

Separately, during talks on Wednesday with Xi, Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and Lao president, expressed deep condolences over the death of Comrade Jiang, saying that it is a huge loss for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people, and the LPRP and the Lao people feel the same way, according to Xinhua.

Thongloun said that Comrade Jiang was a close friend of the LPRP and the Lao people. During his visit to Laos in 2000, Jiang proposed the principle of "long-term stability, good-neighborly friendship, mutual trust and all-around cooperation," which has played a guiding role in the development of bilateral relations.

Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, first secretary of Cuba's Communist Party Central Committee and Cuban president, sent a message of condolences to the Chinese people, CPC and Chinese government on the passing of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, Cuban News Agency reported on Wednesday. On his Twitter account, the Cuban head of state wrote that Jiang was an enduring friend of the Cuban Revolution.

Brunei's Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah has consented to send a message of condolence to Xi following the passing of former president Jiang Zemin. The Sultan appreciated Jiang's efforts in deepening the long-standing bilateral relations and the mutual understanding shared on regional and multilateral issues, Brunei media reported.

The President of Singapore Halimah Yacob has written to Xi and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has written to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to convey their condolences on the passing of Jiang Zemin, according to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The messages from Singapore's president said Jiang was a distinguished statesman who, through sustained economic reforms, led China on a period of rapid growth and development, and significantly raised the standard of living in China.

The President of Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Wednesday sent a message of condolence to Xi, saying Jiang will be remembered as a visionary leader who made great strides in bringing socioeconomic progress for the people of China, and consolidating China's role as a significant contributor on the international stage.

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Jiang Zemin selflessly served for the prosperity of China and enhanced the country's authority in the international community. His bright image as an outstanding person who made a significant contribution to the strengthening of the Kazakhstan-China friendship will forever remain in the memory of the two peoples, the condolence message reads, Akorda press service reported.

The presidents of Tajikistan, Belarus, Palestine, Tanzania, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Czech Republic also sent their condolences over the death of Jiang and spoke highly of his contributions.

According to reports from Japanese media including Jiji Press, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday offered his condolences to the Chinese government and the people of China over the death of Jiang Zemin. 

Kishida noted that the late Chinese leader not only promoted economic reform to contribute to his country's development but also played an important role in Japan-China relations.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also sent condolences, according to Xinhua. 

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that he was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

"Jiang Zemin was a steadfast advocate for international engagement. His tenure was marked by substantial economic progress and China's successful accession to the World Trade Organization," said Guterres in a statement.

On behalf of the United Nations, he offered sincere condolences to Jiang's family and to the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

On Thursday morning, President Xi Jinping held talks with President of the European Council Charles Michel at the Great Hall of the People, during which Xi said that Comrade Jiang Zemin died of illness in Shanghai. 

"When he was China's leader, Comrade Jiang attached great importance and showed commitment to the growth of China-EU relations. He paid multiple visits to European countries, maintained close interactions with leaders of the EU and European countries, worked for the establishment of the China-EU Summit mechanism, and promoted dialogue and cooperation between the two sides across the board. China will carry forward his legacy and continue to consolidate and grow China-EU relations," Xi said.

Michel expressed on behalf of the EU deep condolences over Comrade Jiang Zemin's passing due to illness.

According to a tweet by the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns on Thursday, the US expresses condolences to Jiang Zemin's family and the Chinese people. Burns said Jiang worked to advance the China-US relations at a consequential time while managing their differences - "an imperative that continues today," read the tweet.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday expressed condolences over the death of the former Chinese leader, praising his contribution to the development of bilateral relations, Yonhap News Agency reported.

"Our government highly appreciates former leader Jiang's contribution to the development of the [South] Korea-China relationship, including his role in the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992," a South Korea foreign ministry official said, adding that the government is planning to send a condolence message to China, Yonhap reported.

Xinhua - Global Times