Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin Dies Aged 96

China's former leader Jiang Zemin, who steered the country through a transformational era from the late 1980s into the new millennium, died Wednesday at the age of 96.

Zemin passed away due to leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai at 12:13 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2022, Xinhua reported.

The announcement was made by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

It was announced in a letter addressing the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.

The letter says they "proclaim with profound grief to the whole Party, the entire military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups that our beloved Comrade Jiang Zemin died of leukemia and multiple organ failure after all medical treatments had failed".

The letter says that Jiang Zemin was an outstanding leader enjoying high prestige acknowledged by the Chinese people of all ethnic groups.

Under Jiang, China emerged as a major manufacturing power and as a rising economic rival to the developed world.