BEIJING, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — The remains of Jiang Zemin, who died last Wednesday, were cremated at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in western Beijing on Monday.

Jiang was an outstanding leader with great prestige recognized by the whole of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the whole of the army and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups. He was hailed as a great Marxist and a great proletarian revolutionary, man of state, military strategist and diplomat. Jiang was a long-proven communist fighter and an outstanding leader of the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. He was the core of the third generation of the Party’s central collective leadership and the main founder of the Theory of Three Representations.Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning , Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Wang Qishan and others went to the Chinese PLA General Hospital to pay their last respects. to Comrade Jiang before escorting Jiang’s body to Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery for cremation. Hu Jintao also went to the hospital to pay his last respects to Jiang. In the last respects room at the hospital hung a black banner with white characters that read “Glory eternal to comrade Jiang Zemin”. Below the banner was a large color portrait of Jiang.Jiang’s body, draped in the CCP flag, lay amid flowers and evergreen cypresses. Honor guards stood by on both sides. In front of Jiang’s body was a flower arrangement presented by his wife, Wang Yeping, and other family members, along with a silk ribbon with the words “You will live in our hearts forever.” To Inside the hall to pay their respects, wreaths were presented by Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Wang Qishan and Hu Jintao; and the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the Central Military Commission, non-Communist parties , the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, people’s organizations and people from all walks of life in the Chinese capital. At 10 a.m., Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Han Zheng, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, Wang Qishan, Hu Jintao and others entered the room for final respects from the hospital. They had white flowers pinned to their chests and wore black arm bands. They stood silently in front of Jiang’s body. Xi and others bowed to Jiang three times to express their respect and pay deep respect to him. Later, Xi and others expressed deep condolences to Jiang’s wife and other relatives. At 10:20 a.m., honor guards carried Jiang’s coffin out of the hall. Xi and others escorted Jiang’s remains onto the hearse, which departed for Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery at 10:30 a.m.As the hearse traveled from the hospital to the cemetery, people from all walks of life national capital lined the streets to see their beloved comrade Jiang Zemin, expressing deep sadness. At 10:50 a.m., the hearse entered Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery. Xi and others as well as Jiang’s relatives bid farewell to Jiang forever in the great hall. Among those who viewed Jiang’s remains in the hospital were also senior officials and officials retired from the CPC Central Committee, NPC Standing Committee, State Council, National Supervisory Commission, Supreme People’s Court, Supreme People’s Procuratorate, CPPCC National Committee and Military Commission central; key officials of central committees of non-Communist parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, as well as people without party affiliation; and Jiang’s friends and others.