Former premier Zhu Rongji has died at the age of 98.

He died of illness in Beijing shortly after 11am on Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Zhu served as premier from 1998 to 2003 and was a Politburo Standing Committee member between 1993 and 2003.

An obituary jointly issued by the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference praised Zhu 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 is best remembered for implementing market reforms that helped drive China's economic rise, and leading the country into the World Trade Organisation. (Additional reporting by Xinhua)


Edited by Edmond Fong