Laura Bicker

Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji has been cremated in Beijing in a low-key ceremony attended by President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders. Although state media praised Zhu as a loyal Communist Party member and flags flew at half-mast, authorities restricted public mourning and censored online commentary that expressed nostalgia for the relative openness and optimism of Zhu's reform era. Zhu served from 1998 to 2003 alongside Jiang Zemin, overseeing difficult economic reforms, rapid growth and China's entry into the World Trade Organization. His death, shortly after Jiang's centenary commemorations, has intensified comparisons between that period and Xi Jinping's more centrally controlled, state-led model. The episode highlights the party's concern that mourning former leaders could become criticism of current policies, particularly as China faces slower growth, falling property prices, high youth unemployment and demographic decline.

Matrimonial agencies in China’s Guizhou province are accused of exploiting lonely, financially vulnerable men through rapid marriages involving women whose backgrounds and intentions may be misrepresented. Wang Zhuang paid hundreds of thousands of yuan after meeting his wife through an agency, only to discover alleged debts and concealed personal information before she sought a divorce and the agency disappeared. Other families describe similar losses, including Xu Rulin, who spent nearly 500,000 yuan trying to find a wife for his son. The market has expanded amid China’s severe gender imbalance, shaped partly by the former one-child policy and son preference. Authorities prosecuted 1,546 people in cases linked to matrimonial agencies between January 2024 and March 2025 and launched a nationwide crackdown, but lawyers say prosecutions are difficult because Chinese law lacks a specific offense for marriage fraud and victims must prove fraudulent intent from the outset.

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has died at 97. Serving from 1998 to 2003, he played a central role in China's entry into the World Trade Organization, centralized tax powers, restructured failing state enterprises and promoted home ownership. His policies helped stabilize the economy, attract foreign investment and turn China into a manufacturing and trading powerhouse, but also contributed to about 30 million layoffs and greater inequality. Zhu was remembered as a direct, pragmatic leader who opposed corruption, after a career that included two political purges before his return to government and rise to the premiership.

Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has died at 97. He played a central role in China’s accession to the World Trade Organization, centralised tax powers, restructured failing state-owned firms and promoted home ownership, helping turn China into a manufacturing and trading powerhouse. His tenure brought rapid growth and economic stabilisation but also caused around 30 million layoffs and increased inequality. Remembered for his outspoken opposition to corruption, Zhu had earlier been purged twice before returning to government and becoming premier from 1998 to 2003.

Chinese men seeking wives through rapid matchmaking services in Guizhou say they were deceived by women and agencies that concealed previous marriages, children, debts and other personal information. Victims such as Wang Zhuang and Xu Rulin describe losing hundreds of thousands of yuan, while some marriages ended within weeks. The cases are linked to China’s severe gender imbalance, created in part by the former one-child policy and preference for sons, which has left more than 30 million more men than women. Authorities have begun a national crackdown after prosecutors handled cases involving 1,546 people between January 2024 and March 2025, but prosecution and compensation remain difficult because China lacks a specific offense for marriage fraud and agencies often disappear after taking clients’ money.

China's severe gender imbalance, shaped partly by the former one-child policy and son preference, has left millions of men with limited prospects of marriage. Matchmaking firms in Guizhou exploit this demand by offering rapid marriages, sometimes using women with concealed marital, financial or medical histories as bait. Wang Zhuang paid hundreds of thousands of yuan, married a woman after only a few brief meetings, and later discovered that she had allegedly lied about her past before the matchmaking company disappeared. Other families report similar losses, including Xu Rulin, whose son's bride left after less than two weeks. Chinese authorities have launched a nationwide crackdown, and prosecutors handled cases involving 1,546 alleged offenders between January 2024 and March 2025. Lawyers say prosecutions remain difficult because Chinese law lacks a specific criminal offense for marriage fraud and victims must prove fraudulent intent from the outset.

China’s severe gender imbalance, partly linked to the former one-child policy and son preference, has created intense demand for brides, especially in poorer and rural areas. Fast-marriage brokerage companies in Guizhou promise lonely men quick access to obedient, financially secure wives, but victims say agencies concealed women’s marital histories, children, debts and health problems. Vang Zhuang spent hundreds of thousands of yuan before discovering that his wife had allegedly deceived him, while another family says a bride left less than two weeks after the wedding. Authorities have begun a nationwide operation after prosecutors handled more than 1,500 cases involving the sector, but legal experts say prosecution is difficult because it is hard to prove that a marriage was fraudulent from the outset. Many agencies also disappear after collecting fees, leaving victims with financial losses, divorce disputes and lasting psychological distress.