Jiang Zemin's Role During the SARS Crisis

During the SARS crisis in China in 2003, both President Hu Jintao (胡锦涛) and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao (温家宝) had called for honest reporting about SARS and its impact. That much I knew when I was in the thick of the crisis.

But what was less apparent to me then was that the two top leaders' efforts were somewhat thwarted by Jiang Zemin (江泽民) and his followers who sent out directives to make sure that the media was not able "to gain greater press freedom." It seemed that Jiang and followers were trying "to reassert their continued relevance". (Tony Saich, Governance and Politics of China)

According to Saich, this interference by Jiang, coupled with two other incidents, weakened Jiang's position.

The first was the delayed announcement that 70 Chinese sailors had died in a submarine accident when Jiang was chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Did it weaken Jiang? Maybe. Anyway, I thought the delayed announcement was a relic of the communist past - where bad news were not immediately announced until more "opportune" moments.

The second incident was the Shanghai corruption scandal involving Zhou Zhengyi (or Chou Cheng Ngai, 周正毅), who among other things, used local connections to obtain illegal loans. "No one has suggested that Jiang is involved," Saich wrote, "but the fact that it had taken place in Shanghai, his bailiwick, and must have been known to some of the proteges does not reflect well."

Again, did it weaken Jiang? Even if so, the linkage to Jiang and his associates is too tenuous and conjectural.