Jiang Zemin remembered in South Asia

Jiang Zemin addresses the fourth plenary session of the 13th Communist Party of China Central Committee in Beijing in June 1989. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

South Asian political leaders and former diplomats expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Jiang Zemin, former president of the People’s Republic of China, adding that he will always be remembered for his outstanding contribution towards promoting close cooperation with South Asian countries.

They said that friendly relations between China and various South Asian countries were greatly strengthened during Jiang’s tenure as president from 1993 to 2003 and that relations between China and the region will consolidate further. Jiang died due to leukemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai at the age of 96 on Wednesday.

Jiang Zemin's historic visit to India in 1996 was a significant step toward normalizing relations between Asia's two largest countries, Indian experts said

In a post on its website, India Ministry of External Affairs noted that Jiang’s three-day trip to New Delhi in Nov 1996 was the first visit by a Chinese head of state since the founding of the PRC in 1949. A major  agreement on confidence building measures along the Line of Actual Control in the border areas of the two countries was also signed.

The historic visit to India was a significant step toward normalizing relations between Asia's two largest countries, Indian experts said.

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This was a major step towards peace and security on the border and it paved the way for greater mutual understanding and expanding economic cooperation, said Sukh Deo Muni, former Indian Envoy to the Southeast Asian countries on United Nations Security Council Reforms and professor emeritus at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

The visit marked the peak of improved China-India relations since the early 1990s and the agreement was the most comprehensive treaty of its kind ever to be signed, said Professor Swaran Singh, also of SIS.

In a message on Weibo on Dec 1, the Indian Embassy in Beijing expressed “deepest condolences on the passing of former President of the People’s Republic of China, Jiang Zemin.”

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) also expressed its profound grief at Jiang’s passing offered its heartfelt sympathies to the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people.

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday to express his condolences, saying Jiang played a very important role in strengthening Pakistan-China relations.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina extended the “deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies” to Chinese President Xi Jinping for the “sad demise” of Jiang, according to a press statement issued by her office on Thursday.

Hasina recalled that the friendly relations between the two countries were greatly strengthened during the tenure of Jiang. She expressed confidence that bilateral relations between the two friendly countries would continue to flourish.

Rashed Khan Menon, chairman of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, said Jiang “extended his helping hand to the countries of this area to develop themselves economically and usher in a new era of peace and stability in this part of the world”.

Jiang would be remembered not only by Chinese people, but also by people of the world, particularly by the countries and people of South Asia, Menon told China Daily.

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Jiang was an outstanding leader and communist fighter who made significant contributions to promote good relations with South Asian countries, said Dilip Barua, general secretary, central committee, Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist–Leninist).

Jiang’s visit to Nepal in 1996 contributed to further strengthening of close ties between Nepal and China, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari said on Dec 1, according to the Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Calling the late Chinese president as a great friend and well-wisher of Nepal, incumbent Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba recalled the contribution Jiang made in consolidating and nurturing the longstanding ties between Nepal and China, according to the ministry.

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Since the late Chinese president initiated various economic reform policies, China’s trade with other South Asian countries also started to rise significantly, experts said.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.