Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, pictured in 1997, was not seen at Communist Party celebrations, fueling rumors.
Beijing (CNN) -- Chinese state media is dismissing reports that former President Jiang Zemin has died, calling them "pure rumor."
On Thursday, the Xinhua news agency denied those reports, citing "authoritative sources."
"Recent reports of some overseas media organizations about Jiang Zemin's death from illness are pure rumor," the news agency said.
When reporters asked the foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei about Jiang's health at a news conference Thursday, he directed them to the Xinhua report.
"Xinhua has sent out a relevant report. Please look up the report," he said.
Pressed further, Hong added, "Xinhua has made it clear. I have no more to add."During his 13 years as general secretary of the Communist Party and nearly 10 years as president, Jiang mixed economic freedom and political control to move forward the so-called 'market socialism' introduced by his predecessor Deng Xiaoping.
Under his leadership, China began to emerge as the world's fastest growing major economy.
Jiang also saw the peaceful handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China and that of Macau from Portugal while repeatedly threatening to use military power against Taiwan if it declares independence.
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