Jiang Zemin’s passing last week will have no major political repercussions in China.

Unlike Deng Xiaoping’s death in 1997, which helped Jiang to step out of Deng’s shadow and lead with more confidence and style, today Xi Jinping is in firm control of Chinese politics and foreign policy.

Jiang led China throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s, leaving a lasting impact on the country’s politics and foreign relations. He will be remembered, among other things, as a leader who paved the way for China’s emergence as a global power. He had a charismatic personality, a rarity among Chinese leaders. One can attribute many of China’s current achievements, as well as its problems, to policies initiated during Jiang’s tenure.