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Economics

Aug 12, 2026 Minxin Pei

Zhu Rongji’s personal history and political challenges made it highly unlikely that he would rise to the pinnacle of Chinese politics. Once there, he implemented many of the reforms that turned the country into an economic powerhouse.

CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA—Since its founding almost 77 years ago, the People’s Republic of China has had eight premiers. But only two—Zhao Ziyang and Zhu Rongji—deserve credit for the country’s economic rise. In the 1980s, Zhao translated Deng Xiaoping’s vision of “reform and opening up” into policy, pushing through the reforms that underpinned China’s economic miracle. In the 1990s, Zhu—who recently passed away at age 97—racked up his own lengthy list of accomplishments, becoming one of China’s most respected senior leaders.