Beijing memorial for Jiang

Jane Cheung

Former president Jiang Zemin's memorial service will be held at Beijing's Great Hall of the People on Tuesday, with his body taken to the capital yesterday.

President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and other state leaders - including Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Li Qiang, Zhao Leji and Wang Huning - were at Beijing Xijiao Airport when a special flight carrying Jiang's body arrived in the afternoon.

One day after the 96-year-old Jiang died from leukemia and multiple organ failure his wheelchair-bound wife, Wang Yeping, sons Mianheng and Miankang and two grandchildren as well as Shanghai officials and medics bade farewell to the ex-leader.

After that they boarded coaches and sent Jiang's hearse to Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, with crowds in black attire holding banners and paying tribute to Jiang along the way.

Xinhua News Agency noted the national flag flew at half-mast at Beijing airport with a black banner and white characters stating "Comrade Jiang Zemin's spirit will stay forever."

Another banner read: "Comrade Jiang Zemin will live in our hearts forever."

Xinhua said Xi and first lady Peng Liyuan in black attire and with black armbands - were on the tarmac awaiting Jiang's flight.

The plane touched ground shortly before 4pm. Twelve soldiers carried Jiang's coffin from the plane. Xi and others bowed three times as the coffin went into a hearse.

Jiang's family and members of his funeral committee then followed the hearse from the airport to the Great Hall.

In a notice released in the afternoon the funeral committee announced a memorial meeting will be held at 10am on Tuesday.

The committee said the memorial will be held by the party, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the State Council, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Central Military Commission.

"The memorial will be broadcast live," it added. "Departments across all cities and regions must organize party members, officials and citizens to watch."

And when participants in the memorial service observe a silence all Chinese citizens must do the same for three minutes. Civil Defense sirens and horns must also sound for three minutes in tribute.

On the day of the service flags across the nation as well as those at embassies and consulates and external institutions must fly at half-mast, with all public entertainment suspended.

jane.cheung@singtaonewscorp.com