Xi Jinping said "this country is its people" in a call for policies centered on public wellbeing

At a gathering of about 6,000 in Beijing on Monday, President Xi Jinping commemorated the centenary of Jiang Zemin's birth, crediting the former leader with advancing China's modernization and urging party members to continue that work. Xi described Jiang, who died in 2022 at 96, as a key figure in the country's economic reforms and growing international engagement, and he encouraged attendees to learn from Jiang's commitment to citizens. He stressed that the nation's strength is rooted in its people, then tied that idea to calls for policies centered on public wellbeing, shared prosperity, and continued opening and innovation. Xi also pointed to Jiang's leadership through the 1998 floods and Asia's financial crisis as steady examples. A related symposium on Jiang's life and thought runs through Wednesday.