Zhu Rongji to Be Cremated Tuesday as Flags Lower
Bastillepost · 6 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago2 MIN
Summary
Former State Council premier Zhu Rongji will be cremated in Beijing on Tuesday, August 18. Official mourning arrangements include half-mast flags at major state venues in the capital, across provincial and municipal party and government locations, in Hong Kong and Macau, at border crossings and external sea and air ports, and at Chinese embassies and consulates abroad.
Hong Kong's government said it will follow the Central People's Government notice by lowering both the national flag and the Hong Kong regional flag at specified official sites on Tuesday.
Key Points
- Xinhua said Zhu Rongji, former premier of the State Council, will be cremated in Beijing on Tuesday, August 18, after his death in the capital.
- Half-mast mourning will be observed at Tiananmen, Xinhuamen, the Great Hall of the People and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing.
- Provincial, autonomous regional and municipal party committee and government locations, plus border crossings, external sea and air ports, and overseas missions will also lower flags.
- The Hong Kong SAR government said Tamar Government Headquarters, Government House, boundary control points, inspection stations and Hong Kong International Airport will lower flags.
- Several reports said Zhu died in Beijing on August 12 after illness and was 98 years old, with state bodies issuing an obituary praising his political legacy.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the clearest immediate effect is a formal citywide mourning arrangement at government headquarters, boundary facilities and the airport on Tuesday. The coordinated flag-lowering across Hong Kong, Macau, mainland official sites and overseas Chinese missions underscores the national scale of the commemoration.