Huang Ju facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Huang Ju
黄菊
Huang Ju in 2005
First-ranked Vice Premier of China
In office 15 March 2003 – 2 June 2007
Premier	Wen Jiabao
Preceded by	Li Lanqing
Succeeded by	Wu Yi (Acting)
Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai
In office September 1994 – October 2002
Deputy	Xu Kuangdi (mayor)
Preceded by	Wu Bangguo
Succeeded by	Chen Liangyu
Mayor of Shanghai
In office April 1991 – February 1994
Leader	Wu Bangguo (party secretary)
Preceded by	Zhu Rongji
Succeeded by	Xu Kuangdi
Personal details
Born	(1938-09-28)28 September 1938 Shanghai French Concession, (modern-day Shanghai, China)
Died	2 June 2007(2007-06-02) (aged 68) Beijing, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party (1966–2007)
Spouse	Yu Huiwen
Children	1 son, 1 daughter
Alma mater	Tsinghua University
Signature

Huang Ju (born September 28, 1938 – died June 2, 2007) was an important Chinese politician. He was a high-ranking leader in the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). From 2002 until his death in 2007, he was one of the nine members of the Politburo Standing Committee. This group is China's top decision-making body.

He also served as the first-ranked Vice Premier of China starting in 2003. Huang Ju passed away while still in office. He was an electrical engineer by training. He was known for his close connection to party leader Jiang Zemin, which helped him rise in power.

Early Life and Education

Huang Ju was born in Shanghai, China. He was the second of five children in his family. He spent many of his younger years in Zhejiang province. He went to primary school and middle school in Zhejiang.

From 1956 to 1963, he studied at Tsinghua University. He earned a degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1966, he became a member of the Chinese Communist Party.

After university, Huang Ju worked as a technician. He was employed at the Shanghai Artificial-board Machinery Factory from 1963 to 1967. Later, he worked at the Shanghai Zhonghua Metallurgical Factory. There, he became a deputy leader in the production group. He also served as deputy director and engineer.

Rising in Shanghai Politics

Huang Ju started his political career in Shanghai in the 1980s. From 1983 to 1984, he was a member of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee. He also served as the secretary of the industry affairs committee. He became the Shanghai Party Committee's secretary General from 1984 to 1985. Then, he was deputy party chief in charge of propaganda from 1985 to 1986.

In 1991, Huang Ju became the mayor of Shanghai. He then became the city's Party secretary in 1994. He held this position until October 2002. In September 1994, he joined the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party.

Huang Ju's career in Shanghai was greatly helped by Jiang Zemin. Jiang Zemin was the Party Committee secretary in Shanghai before becoming the top leader of the Communist Party. Huang Ju was seen as one of Jiang's most trusted friends in Shanghai. Jiang's rise to power helped Huang Ju advance in his own political career.

During Huang Ju's time as Shanghai's leader, the city saw significant economic growth. The Pudong New Area, a major financial district, grew rapidly under his leadership. Many people remember him for helping to increase the income of Shanghai residents.

Moving to Beijing

In 2002, Jiang Zemin was preparing to step down as party leader. He wanted to promote some of his former colleagues from Shanghai to the Politburo Standing Committee. This is the highest decision-making body in China.

Huang Ju was chosen to join the Standing Committee. He became the first-ranking vice premier, working with Premier Wen Jiabao. He replaced the outgoing vice premier Li Lanqing.

His appointment was discussed by many. Some felt he was promoted because of his strong connections, rather than his achievements. Despite some opposition, Huang Ju was officially named a member of the 9-person Politburo Standing Committee on November 15, 2002. In March 2003, the National People's Congress confirmed him as the first-ranked vice premier.

As first vice premier, Huang Ju was in charge of finance and banking. He was also a member of the Leading Group for Financial and Economic Affairs.

Illness and Passing

In February 2006, news reports said that Huang Ju was seriously ill. He began to appear less often in public. Although the exact nature of his illness was not fully disclosed by the party, it was known to be serious.

He made a few public appearances, but his health continued to decline. In January 2007, he handed over his responsibilities for financial affairs to Premier Wen Jiabao. Huang Ju disappeared from public view in March 2007. He was admitted to a hospital in Beijing, where his health worsened.

On June 2, 2007, Huang Ju passed away in Beijing at the age of 68. His death was announced quickly by the official Chinese news agency, Xinhua. He was honored as a "long-tested and faithful Communist fighter and an outstanding leader of the party and the state."

Huang Ju was the first member of the PSC to die in office since Mao Zedong in 1976. He was also the only first vice premier to die while still holding the position.

Funeral Ceremony

Huang Ju's funeral was a very important event. Many high-ranking Chinese leaders attended, including General Secretary and President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and former leaders Jiang Zemin and Zhu Rongji. The ceremony was broadcast on national news. It was called a "send-off ceremony" rather than a traditional "funeral." This suggested a simpler approach for future deceased leaders.

Political Effects

Huang Ju's passing created an open spot on the Politburo Standing Committee. This gave an opportunity for new leaders to step forward at the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in October 2007. His death was seen as a significant event for a group of officials connected to Shanghai.

Legacy

Huang Ju was officially praised with high honors after his death. He was called "an outstanding member of the Communist Party of China" and "an extraordinary leader of the Party and State." His time leading Shanghai was marked by strong economic growth. The city's buildings and public services changed dramatically. Many people in Shanghai believe he played a big part in developing the Pudong area.

Huang Ju also faced some criticism during his career. There were discussions in Chinese media about his influence on certain construction projects in Shanghai.

In December 2012, a photo book titled Huang Ju was published by the Shanghai People's Press. The book featured photos of him from his early life to his time as vice premier. This showed that he continued to be seen positively by officials.

Personal Life

Huang Ju was married to Yu Huiwen. They had one son and one daughter. His daughter, Daphne Huang, married James Fang in 1995.

See also

• Politics of China