The late Chinese premier showed genuine love and support for Hong Kong and kept ‘one country, two systems’ dear to his heart
3-MIN READ3-MINTammy TamTammy Tam is the Publisher of the South China Morning Post, overseeing both editorial and business strategy and operations to drive the publication’s development and commercial growth. Published: 9:30am, 24 Aug 2026“History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.” This famous quote, widely attributed to Mark Twain, keeps playing in my mind as China mourns the death of former premier Zhu Rongji and reflects on his legacy.It was early afternoon on August 12 when I received a message from a friend on the mainland that made my heart sink: “Our much-respected Premier Zhu left us this morning!”
It was an uncertain but exciting time, when the “one country, two systems” governing principle for Hong Kong was being rolled out. The implementation of the special formula designed by paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and officially recognised in China’s constitution – which empowered the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the legislation of the Basic Law – was well received but still a work in progress.
