One of the most memorable images of retired Chinese supreme leader Jiang Zemin, who has died aged 96, was of his dramatic re-appearance during celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 2009.
As the tanks and rocket launchers rolled past Chang’an Avenue, Jiang’s face behind his trademark thick-framed glasses was a mask of defiance. His dogged ability to battle his way into favour and hold on to influence within the old guard at the top of the party very much characterised the trajectory of his political career.
