14 Facts About Rong Yiren

Rong Yiren was the Vice President of China from 1993 to 1998 and was heavily involved with the opening of the Chinese economy to western investment.

Rong Yiren was born on May 1,1916, in Wuxi, a city near Shanghai in Jiangsu Province.

Rong Yiren graduated with a degree in history from the Christian-run St John's University.

Rong Yiren's family was allowed to keep their business until 1956, when all private businesses became state-owned.

When Korean hostilities broke out, Rong Yiren's family contributed substantial amounts of funding along with considerable clothing.

Rong Yiren was appointed the vice-mayor of Shanghai in 1957 and Vice Minister of Textiles concurrently since 1959, later served as an economics adviser for the Chinese Communist Party.

Rong Yiren lost a great deal of his personal wealth and was the target of death threats from the Red Guards, radical youth organizations aligned with the new social and cultural policies of Mao Zedong.

Rong Yiren set up the China International Trust and Investment Corp.

Rong Yiren was appointed to the ceremonial post of vice president in 1993.

Rong Yiren retired on March 15,1998, and died on October 26,2005.

Rong Yiren was listed as one of the richest men in Asia, with a family fortune of $1.9 billion in 2000.

Rong Yiren died of pneumonia on October 26,2005, at the age of 89.

Rong Yiren's funeral was held on November 3,2005, and he was interred at Overseas Chinese Cemetery.

Rong Yiren's wife died seven years later and was buried next to him.