Beijing, 1 December 2022 (TDI): China is in mourning after Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese President, passed away on November 30. Flags flew at half-mast on significant government structures and Chinese Embassies abroad.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s website has turned its home page grey to show its sorrow. While newspapers’ front pages turned black in mourning for the deceased and mourners piled bouquets outside his childhood home.
Mourners piled bouquets of white chrysanthemums outside Jiang’s childhood home in Yangzhou, China’s easternmost city. Chrysanthemums are a traditional Chinese symbol for mourning.
In a show of respect, some people knelt in front of his house. According to images shared on Chinese social media, police cordoned off streets in Shanghai.
Some Chinese social media users shared photos & videos of Jiang speaking or laughing, as well as articles, written in English about his 1997 speech at Harvard University.
Jiang, who was 96 years old, passed away from leukemia and multiple organ failure in his native Shanghai shortly after noon on Wednesday. However, his funeral has yet to be scheduled.
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Both the US and Japanese governments offered their condolences. Regardless, foreign governments & political parties will not be invited to send envoys or delegates to China to participate in the mourning activities, according to official sources.
