A tradition of the Chinese Communist Party is that former leaders participate in the selection of the successor to the current leader. Zhu Rong Ji is a former prime minister who served from 1998 to 2003 along with CCP party secretary Jiang Zemin. Zhu Rong Ji was selected by the paramount leader Deng Xiao Ping to become China's Prime Minister. Deng Xiao Ping is known to have said that whoever is on good terms with the U.S. has got well to do. 


The Wall Street Journal reported recently that Zhu Rong Ji sent a letter to the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party. The letter was written on March 10, 2022 according to informed sources. 





The following is an English translation of the unconfirmed letter by Zhu Rong Ji. 


March 10, 2022
To the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party,  I would like to make the following suggestions. 


1. I am against the current policy of 'Dynamic Zero' for containing the Covid-19. Locking down entire towns and locking home doors are extremist measures that cause pointless suffering of people.  Measures to contain Covid-19 should be scientific and rational. These measures must not interfere with economy and people making a living. 


2.  I am against expanding state-owned enterprises at the expense of private enterprises. I am against restoring the planned economy.  We should be nice to private enterprise and entrepreneurs. 


3. In economic work, we must not let amateurs lead professionals.  We should let the state council do its work in managing the economy. 


4. We must not forget about civil affliction. We must not try to maintain stability in a strange way. We should be brave enough to deal with hot cases such as the 'Chained Woman' in an open and just way. 


5. I am against 'Wolf Diplomacy'. I am against one-sided support of Russia. I am resolute in opposing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We must seize the opportunity to improve our relations with the West. We must keep in mind Deng Xiao Ping's words 'Russia is always a strategic threat to China. Russians can not be trusted, nor can they be considered as friends. Always guard against them like guarding against wolves. '  We cannot ruin over 1 trillion trade with the West because of our 100 billion trade with Russia.  It is an arithmetic problem even an idiot can solve. We cannot let Russia invade its neighbor and get away with it. We were firmly against Russia when it invaded Czechoslovakia and Afghanistan. 


There are several hundred thousand Russians living within China's borders. We must be watching out Russia for interfering with China under the pretext of protecting their nationals. Trade agreements with Russia should be discussed in an open manner. We must not sell out grand parents' land with no pain.  Our interests must not be taken advantage of by the Russians or wasted as personal gifts. Personal friendship with Putin cannot triumph national interests. 


6. Rule the country with virtue, not immorality. Rule with uprightness not by cronyism. 


7. I am against the cult of personality and I am for collective leadership. I am against someone being re-elected to a post without term limits. Term limits are a fruit of our Party's Reform and Opening up. It is a key measure adopted by our party after learning an important lesson from the Cultural Revolution. It must not be altered. 


8.  I suggest that the preparation work for the 20th session of the Party Congress to be carried out together by the current leaders and the retired comrades Hu Jin Tao, Zeng Qing Hong, Wang Yang. 


9. I am for speaking up and telling the truth. Not letting people speak will lead to the death of the Party and the country.  Speaking of myself, Zhu Rong Ji, I am not afraid of being audited. I am not afraid of my children being affected. I will speak up if I have things to say. I will defend the party's interest and I will defend Reform and Opening up, even if that means death. These two are my 2 wills.