Zhu Rongji's remains cremated

The remains of former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji were cremated in Beijing on Tuesday.

President Xi Jinping and other senior Party and State leaders, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng, bade farewell to Zhu at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in the morning.

Amid solemn music, they walked slowly toward Zhu's remains and stood in silent tribute.

They then paid their final respects with three bows and shook hands with Zhu's family members. Hu Jintao sent a wreath to express his condolences over Zhu's passing.

Zhu died of illness on Aug 12 in Beijing at the age of 98. He had served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 14th and 15th Central Committees of the Communist Party of China.

To mourn his death, national flags flew at half-staff on Tuesday at Tian'anmen Square, Xinhuamen, the Great Hall of the People and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Beijing, in seats of CPC committees and governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, at land ports, seaports and airports, and at Chinese embassies and consulates.

Zhu was extolled in an official obituary as an excellent Party member, a time-tested and loyal communist fighter, and an outstanding proletarian revolutionist, statesman and leader of the Party and the State.

Zhu, who was born in October 1928 in Changsha, Hunan province, joined the CPC in October 1949.

During his tenure as vice-premier and premier of the State Council, China's Cabinet, between 1991 and 2003, the country was in a critical period of transition — from a planned economy to a socialist market economy.

Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Jiang Zemin at its core, Zhu organized and implemented a series of major reforms, promoting the establishment of the basic framework for a socialist market economy.

Zhu spearheaded reform of the fiscal and taxation systems, actively promoted the reform of the financial system, carried out the reform of State-owned enterprises, and pushed for the establishment of a unified, regulated and comprehensive framework for the social security system.

He oversaw the completion of the arduous negotiations for China's accession to the World Trade Organization, and advanced the country's opening-up in both scope and depth.

Zhu also advanced China's housing reform, gradually replacing the allocation of housing to employees with monetary housing benefits.

He had deep affection for the people and emphasized that government officials should always bear in mind that they are public servants, have the courage to speak the truth and refrain from seeking special privileges.

Zhu's life was a revolutionary, fighting and glorious one, the obituary said, adding that his death is a great loss to the Party and the State.