UN chief mourns Jiang Zemin as int'l 'engagement' advocate
Wednesday, November 30, 2022       23:29 WIB

United Nations, United States, Nov 30, 2022 (AFP)
United Nations chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday praised China's Jiang Zemin, saying the late leader helped usher the Asian giant onto the global stage by joining the WTO and overseeing major economic growth.
Jiang -- who died Wednesday at age 96 and leaves a mixed legacy -- "was a steadfast advocate for international engagement," Guterres said in a statement, noting how Beijing under Jiang hosted the landmark 4th World Conference on Women in 1995.
"His tenure was marked by substantial economic progress and China's successful accession to the World Trade Organization," said the UN secretary-general, who added he was "deeply saddened" to learn of Jiang's death.
"I will never forget Jiang Zemin's personal warmth and openness, as well as the excellent cooperation that I enjoyed as prime minister of Portugal with him to ensure the smooth transition of the handover to China of the administration of Macau," Guterres said.
The former Portuguese colony was transferred to Chinese rule in December 1999.
The following year, Jiang participated in the United Nations Millennium Summit in New York.

Sumber : AFP