Jiang Zemin's legacy inspiration for nation on path to modernization: China Daily editorial

Jiang Zemin passed away in Shanghai on Nov 30 at the age of 96.

The profound outpouring of grief by the nation speaks volumes of the late leader's great contribution to the Communist Party of China and the country.

Jiang was an outstanding leader who enjoyed high prestige. He was acknowledged as a great Marxist, a great proletarian revolutionary, statesman, military strategist and diplomat, a long-tested communist fighter and an outstanding leader of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He was the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents and the core of the CPC's third generation of central collective leadership.

That leadership defined building a socialist market economy as an objective of reform, and formulated and implemented a raft of principles, policies and major strategies. Under their leadership, the country dealt calmly with a series of breaking international events that concerned China's sovereignty and security, overcame the difficulties and risks that cropped up in the political and economic spheres and those brought by natural disasters, and kept China's reform, opening-up and socialist development drive moving forward in the right direction.

The great achievements of the Party and the country in the 13 years since the fourth plenary session of the 13th CPC Central Committee in 1989 were inseparable from Jiang's practice of the art of political leadership as a Marxist statesman.

Jiang was far-sighted, and could make correct assessments of different situations. He always observed and reflected on issues taking into consideration the general trends of China and the world, as well as the overall work of the Party and the State, continuously advancing theoretical innovation and innovation in other fields.

Jiang valued practice and kept pace with the times. He always grasped the trends and opportunities of the times, summing up experience and sought new ways based on the vibrant practice of the Party and the people, thus advancing the work of the Party and the State in a down-to-earth yet enterprising manner.

Today, his fine character and noble manner are still educational and motivational for the Party and the country on the path to modernization.

Jiang's death is an inestimable loss to the Party, the military and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. But grief should be turned into strength, and Jiang's legacy should be carried forward with concrete actions. The nation should rally around the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core with greater resolve and purpose, and adhere to the Party's basic theory, basic line and basic policy to advance the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and strive in unity to realize the second centenary goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.