On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a large-scale commemorative event in Beijing to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of former president Jiang Zemin. The ceremony, held at the Great Hall of the People, was attended by thousands of officials and delegates representing various sectors of the country.

During the event, President Xi delivered a keynote address focused on Jiang Zemin’s historical role and his contributions to the party and the state. Jiang, who served as China's top leader from 1989 until the early 2000s, passed away in 2022. The ceremony served as a formal state recognition of his leadership tenure, which spanned a period of significant economic transition for China. The speech emphasized the continuity of party leadership and the legacy left behind by Jiang’s administration, framing his tenure as a foundational period for modern development. While the event was a high-profile state function, it functioned primarily as a retrospective on Jiang’s political influence and his role in shaping the party’s trajectory during the late 20th and early 21st centuries.