Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin passed away on November 30. On December 5, a farewell ceremony for his body was held in Beijing. On December 6, the CCP held a memorial meeting for him with more than 5,000 participants.
Up to now, according to Xinhua News Agency, hundreds of countries and regional organizations around the world have expressed condolences for Jiang Zemin's death and sent condolences to the Chinese government and Jiang Zemin's family.
According to Xinhua News Agency's reports from November 30 to December 6, in addition to sending condolence messages from some countries, some dignitaries went to the Chinese embassy to mourn in person.
For example, Singapore President Halimah Mahathir and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong both sent condolence messages, and Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policy Heng Ruijie went to the Chinese Embassy in Singapore to express condolences on behalf of the Singapore government.
King Vajiralongkorn of the Kingdom of Thailand and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha both sent messages of condolence, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Tun went to the embassy to offer condolences.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yue sent a condolence message and went to the Chinese embassy in South Korea to express condolences, and the South Korean ambassador to China went to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express condolences.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Prime Minister Sim Minh Trung, and National Assembly Chairman Wang Dinh Hue sent messages of condolence, and Vietnamese party and state leaders went to the embassy in Vietnam to mourn the death of Jiang Zemin.
On October 25, 2002, then US President George W. Bush met with then Chinese President Jiang Zemin at his private ranch.
Bush and his wife Laura Bush welcomed Jiang Zemin and his wife Wang Yeping at the gate.
(Xinhua News Agency)
In some countries, apart from sending telegrams of condolence, there is no act of condolence for current important officials.
For example, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sent a message of condolence to Chinese officials and Premier Li Keqiang to express condolences, while officials who went to the Chinese Embassy in Japan included former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and former secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan Toshihiro Nikai.
German President Steinmeier said in his message of condolence that he would not forget Jiang Zemin's great efforts to promote the development of Germany-China relations, but only the German envoy to China went to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express his condolences.
In some countries, only their envoys in China went to the Chinese embassy or the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express their condolences, but did not receive a message of condolence.
For example, US Ambassador to China Burns went to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to mourn Jiang Zemin.
British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Development Trevelyan came to the Chinese Embassy in the UK to express condolences on the death of Jiang Zemin on behalf of the British government.
However, looking at the reports of Xinhua News Agency, as of press time, there has been no report of condolence letter from US President Joe Biden expressing condolences to the Chinese government.
It is also unknown whether the new British Prime Minister Sim Weicheng has sent a message of condolence to China.
Similar to the situation in the United States and Britain, there are countries such as Canada, France, and Australia.
According to the usual practice, countries have always followed the principle of reciprocity in condolence diplomacy.
It is reported that after the death of former US President Bush Sr., on December 1, 2018, Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences to then US President Trump.
After the unfortunate death of former German Chancellor Schmidt, Xi Jinping sent condolences to then German President Gauck and then Chancellor Angela Merkel on November 11, 2015.
On November 11, 2015, Li Keqiang sent a message of condolence to then German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Jiang Zemin is very familiar with Biden.
(Weibo @chuxiang)
After the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang respectively sent condolences to Fumio Kishida, and Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan also sent condolences to Abe's widow.
On July 11, 2022, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu went to the Japanese Embassy in China to express his condolences.
On September 27, 2022, Wan Gang, a representative of the Chinese government and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the state funeral ceremony of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, and participated in the appreciation ceremony of the Japanese government and Abe's family.
After the death of Queen Elizabeth II, on September 9, 2022, Xi Jinping sent a message of condolences to the new British King Charles III.
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a condolence message to the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Travis.
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan will attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on September 19 as Xi Jinping's special representative.
Judging from the current attitudes of various countries towards Jiang Zemin's death, the standards of China's neighboring countries and countries friendly to China are generally higher.
But other countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany, have responded far less than China has done in the past.
Judging from the history of condolence diplomacy of China and other countries, China has always been able to pay attention to, respect and be friendly, which is a model that a country of etiquette should have.
Come and not go indecently.
When other countries interact with China, it would be a big mistake if they regard condolence diplomacy as a trivial matter that is not worth mentioning.
High-level mourning for Jiang Zemin What does the Communist Party of China want to convey to the world?
United Nations officials mourn the passing of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin｜The body was transferred to Beijing Babaoshan for cremation Xi Jinping Hu Jintao and others attended the farewell