OPINION | Xi Jinping uses Jiang Zemin tribute to send stern warning

In a notable internal political development, China on March 17, 2026, celebrated with great fanfare the 100^th birth anniversary of Jiang Zemin, former general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), president of PRC and Central Military Commission (CMC) chairman, who was regarded as the architect of restoring political and security normalcy after the Tiananmen Square student agitation of 1989, which rocked the political elite of Chinese Communist Party.

During the ceremony, President Xi Jinping hailed the "indelible contributions" of late leader and urged the CPC and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to continue advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The ceremony, which was held in the Great Hall of People in Beijing, was attended by around 6,000 people and was presided over by Li Qiang, premier of the PRC and all standing committee members of the Politburo.

In his tribute, Xi described Jiang as a long-tested communist fighter and an outstanding leader of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Jiang was the core of the third generation of the Party's central collective leadership and the principal founder of the Theory of Three Represents. The phrase “Three Represents” refers to a political theory introduced by Jiang Zemin in 2000, and formally adopted at the 16^th Party Congress in 2002. While advancing the ideological theory, Jiang Zemin declared that the CPC must always represent: (1) Advanced productive forces, (2) Advanced culture and (3) Fundamental interests of the majority. Wang Huning, now a Standing Committee member of the Politburo of the CPC, is considered to have played a major role in shaping this ideological thrust.

During his tribute to Jiang Zemin, Xi stressed that the contributions of the late leader immediately after the Tiananmen Square incident and further stated that it is imperative to uphold the overall leadership of the party and the centralised, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, and unwaveringly strengthen the full and rigorous party self-governance. Xi portrayed China as a country facing difficult circumstances but capable of overcoming major challenges, and declared that “With an indomitable fighting spirit and exceptional capabilities, we will actively confront major challenges, whether they be rough seas or even raging storms.”

Now the speech has become a major talking point in many parts of the world. Though there are no official comments from any world capitals so far, human rights activists, especially Tibetan activists, are voicing their concerns about the tone and tenor of the speech.  

Tiananmen incident was the worst student agitation China faced since the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The agitation started in April 1989 with the demands to end corruption, secure greater political freedoms, and address economic hardships such as inflation and declining welfare protection. Interestingly, the agitation started during the mourning period of reformist and liberal leader Hu Yaobang. Another liberal leader, Zhao Ziyang, was holding the post of general secretary of the CPC in 1989.

At the time of the crackdown, Jiang Zemin was the party secretary in Shanghai. As Zhao Ziyang opposed the violent crackdown on the agitating students, Deng Xiaoping, the paramount leader, led the CPC leadership to begin their search for a strong leader to replace Zhao Ziyang as party secretary at the critical juncture for both the party and state.

Meanwhile, the apt handling of the student protest in Shanghai by Jiang Zemin drew the attention of Deng, which eventually led to his elevation as party secretary. The Tiananmen incident also witnessed the purging of Zhao, which led to the end of his political career.

The Tiananmen deadly military action on June 3-4, 1989, not only crushed the agitating students but even those who were in close proximity faced the brunt of the state. While many students perished on the spot, some secretly escaped from the country.

The violent crackdown on agitating students showed the world how the Chinese state would deal with any form of dissent or revolt against the state or party. Even the agitating students or the world may not have expected such large-scale violent oppression of the protest.

Xi Jinping’s curious statement reminiscing about the Tiananmen incident is somewhat puzzling and needs a thorough analysis to understand the reasons behind such a deliberate move. The statement came against the backdrop of a broader silence surrounding the incident, as Chinese officials generally avoid mentioning it on any platform. Among the older generation, recollections are faint and fragmented, while the younger generation appears to have little knowledge of what happened in 1989. This muted response may also be attributed to a chill of fear.

The statement may be interpreted in three distinct ways. Firstly, by invoking the memories of the Tiananmen crackdown, Xi wanted to send a clear signal to his detractors, particularly the accomplices or sympathisers of those who faced the brunt of the anti-corruption campaign and purges during his long tenure as President of the PRC and party general secretary. During the initial stages of his ascent to the top leadership, Xi faced many challenges from his opponents. However, Xi could survive threats to his position by handling the situation firmly. The anti-corruption campaign was a convenient weapon for XI to curtail any opposing voices emerging, especially from the camps of Princelings. Although Xi currently occupies a considerably strong position, he may not want any dissent from the party or PLA, as he and his team are preparing for the next Party Congress, which is scheduled in October 2027 to elect the next generation of leadership.

Secondly, Xi may be playing a balancing act to placate different groups in the Party. In the past, former party secretaries and a segment of the top leadership of the party expressed unease over the way in which Xi unleashed an anti-corruption campaign which targeted many of the close associates of former top senior leaders. Even Jiang Zemin was rumoured to have expressed his unhappiness over the strict implementation of the rules by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

Thirdly, Xi may be signalling to the world that domestic policy remains firmly under the state control, and that any expression of dissent or revolt will not be tolerated and will be met with swift and forceful measures.

Interestingly, in November, 2025, Xi Jinping delivered a speech marking the 110th birth anniversary of former general secretary Hu Yaobang (1982-87), who was considered a reformist with liberal leanings as compared to Party elders of that time and whose death and subsequent mourning united students in a movement that ultimately culminated in the Tiananmen incident.  Xi called on cadres to emulate Hu’s approaches towards persisting with Marxism and the two integrations, reform and opening up, anti-corruption and work style.  This year, Xi Jinping chose to highlight Jiang Zemin, whose views stood in stark contrast to those of Hu Yaobang, and praised Jiang for his deft handling of the Tiananmen Square crackdown, an approach Hu would have staunchly opposed had he been alive at that point of time.

(Senior Fellow at Centre for Public Policy Research, Kochi.)

(The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK.)