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Then president Jiang Zemin delivers a speech at celebrations to mark the fifth anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty and the inauguration of the city’s second term government, at the Convention and Exhibition Centre on July 1, 2002. Photo: Xinhua
ChinaPolitics

Online wishes pour in as former Chinese president Jiang Zemin turns 95

  • Absence of official celebrations fails to dampen fervour among online fans of elder statesman
  • Jiang was last seen in public during National Day celebrations in Beijing last year
Jiang Zemin
Josephine Ma
Josephine Ma
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“One more second” for the “elder”, called Chinese netizens, as they found creative ways to wish Jiang Zemin good health and a long life on his 95th birthday.

The former president of China turned 95 on Tuesday, but there was no official celebration, as Jiang had stepped down 18 years ago and there is no tradition among Chinese leaders to publicly mark their birthday. But internet users had not forgotten the special date.

Some posted messages with the sign “+1s”, a popular online meme meaning “one more second”, as a wish for longevity.

Others sent their wishes referring to Jiang as “the elder” and “95”. Five years ago, some netizens posted congratulatory messages calling Jiang “Uncle Toad”, in a reference to his trademark thick-rimmed glasses – a reference that was notably absent this year.
President Xi Jinping (centre), along with predecessors Hu Jintao (left) and Jiang Zemin, watches celebrations to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in Beijing on October 1, 2019. Photo: AP
Some praised Jiang for his contributions to China’s scientific and economic advances, and recalled a famous comment by him in 2000 when he rebuked Hong Kong journalists for being “too simple, sometimes naive” in interpreting Beijing’s endorsement of Tung Chee-hwa to serve a second term as the city’s chief executive.

“I had thought that ‘the elder’ was not being polite [in making the comment],” one netizen wrote. “Now I understand it better and it was me who was naive. He is 95 today.”

Jiang was last seen in public last October during National Day celebrations in Beijing but he did not attend the Communist Party centenary in July. Also absent on July 1 was former premier Zhu Rongji, who is 92.

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