Former premier Zhu Rongji passed away in Beijing on Wednesday. He was 98.

Zhu, who had served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 14th and 15th Central Committees of the Communist Party of China, died of illness, according to an official obituary.

The obituary was jointly issued by the CPC Central Committee; the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature; the State Council, China's Cabinet; and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top political advisory body.

It extolled 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.

Between 1987 and 1991, he served successively as deputy secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, mayor of Shanghai, and secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee.

Born in October 1928 in Changsha, Hunan province, Zhu joined revolutionary work in December 1948 and became a CPC member in October 1949.

During his tenure, he advocated for adjusting the city's industrial structure, developing an export-oriented economy and enhancing its international competitiveness.

In October 1992, he was elected a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee, and he was responsible for the executive work of the State Council.

Zhu played a crucial role in advancing the development and opening-up of Shanghai's Pudong New Area. His efforts laid a solid foundation for Shanghai's further reform, opening-up and development, the obituary said.

In 1991, Zhu was appointed vice-premier of the State Council.

In June 1993, he concurrently served as the governor of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank.

Zhu studied and developed approaches and measures to strengthen and improve macroeconomic regulation, making significant and effective contributions to curbing an overheated economy, reining in inflation and achieving an economic "soft landing".

In September 1997, Zhu was reelected a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and its standing committee.

He pushed forward efforts to rectify and restore order in the fiscal and taxation sectors, accelerated fiscal and tax reforms and helped improve China's financial regulation system.

In March 1998, he was appointed premier of the State Council, and he later served as the secretary of the leading Party members group of the State Council.

Facing the impact of the Asian financial crisis and the catastrophic flooding in China, Zhu focused on a shift from implementing a moderately tight fiscal and monetary policy to adopting a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, expanding domestic demand and deepening reforms in key areas, thereby maintaining steady and rapid economic growth.

During Zhu's tenure as vice-premier and premier of the State Council, a series of policies and measures were adopted to expand opening-up, encourage exports, keep the renminbi exchange rate stable without devaluation, attract foreign investment, and firmly safeguard the prosperity and stability of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as an international financial center.

He oversaw the completion of the arduous negotiations for China's accession to the World Trade Organization.

He also presided over the implementation of major reforms in the social security system, healthcare system, and investment and financing system, among others, promoting the establishment of the basic framework of a socialist market economy.

In March 2003, Zhu no longer served as premier of the State Council. After retiring from leadership posts, he steadfastly upheld and supported the leadership of the CPC Central Committee.

Zhu's life was a revolutionary, fighting and glorious one, and one that was dedicated to wholeheartedly serving the people and the communist cause, the obituary said, adding that his death is a great loss to the Party and the State.

He continued to care about the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and firmly supported efforts to improve conduct, promote integrity and fight corruption.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn

周云杰：以创新为帆 领航海尔驰骋全球

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四十余年栉风沐雨，海尔的成长，是中国家电从本土制造走向全球创牌的缩影。海尔集团董事局主席、首席执行官周云杰自基层岗位入行，全程见证并主导了企业的全球化变革与科技创新迭代。不同于行业常规的出海路径，他坚持以“先难后易”的打法深耕海外高端市场，以长期主义熬过品牌出海的漫长培育期;与此同时立足实业场景继续破局，双轨布局工业与家政机器人赛道，坚持让科技创新扎根产业、服务市场。

大学毕业前，一篇讲述海尔创始人张瑞敏引入欧洲技术的文章，让周云杰深受震撼，文中严谨执着与攻坚克难的精神，在他心中埋下投身海尔的种子。而海尔另一位创始人杨绵绵口中“不讲关系、不论资排辈”的平台特质，更坚定了他的选择。1988年，从华中科技大学焊接专业毕业的周云杰加入海尔，在“赛马不相马”的公平机制下，从工厂拧螺丝、商场站柜台的基层岗位做起，1995年年仅29岁便成为海尔最年轻的总经理，张瑞敏评价他“具有改革和创新的基因”。

随着中国科技实力全面提升，周云杰表示全球每10件家电专利中就有7件来自中国，早在2015年海尔便成立机器人科技公司，形成“工业+家政服务”双轨并行的发展策略。家政型机器人采用“拆解式”创新思路，让家庭以万元成本拥有三四个小型专用机器人，未来将沿着“单点极致替代—多机协同组网—资料生态闭环”的路径演进，预计2026至2027年专用机器人有望小规模商用，2028年渗透率对标如今的扫地机器人。工业机器人赛道上，新时达发布的行业首款“工规级”具身智能机器人年产能达10000台，依托海尔全球173家制造工厂积累的工艺数据优势，让机器人进化为“理解工艺的智造者”。周云杰始终认为科技要长在产业里、场景里、生态里，唯有构建开放创新体系，才能让创新在生态中持续进化，支撑企业在全球市场行稳致远。

20世纪80年代末90年代初，国内家电市场利润丰厚，海尔却清醒提出“国门之内无名牌”，放弃贴牌代工的捷径，选择“先难后易”的全球化路径，率先进军欧美发达国家，1999年周云杰远赴美国建立海尔海外首个工业园，为全球化迈出关键一步。这份长期主义的坚持持续了25年，直到2016年海尔才实现海外市场盈亏平衡，同年收购通用电气家电业务后，依托“人单合一”模式激发本土团队活力，让该业务收入翻番，跃居美国家电市场引领者。如今海尔已在全球建成十大研发中心、35个工业园、163个制造中心，业务覆盖200多个国家和地区，服务10亿用户，成为中国企业全球创牌的标杆。