State broadcaster CCTV lauded his role after the bloody 1989 crackdown on protesters in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square.The event saw China ostracised internationally and sparked a bitter power struggle at the top of the Communist Party between hard-line reactionaries and reformers.He oversaw the peaceful handover of Hong Kong in 1997, and China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001 which intertwined the country with the global economy.During his time in power, Jiang sought to strengthen ties with the US, visiting the country several times and offering then-president George W Bush co-operation in Washington's "war on terror" following the 9/11 attacks.Jiang's successors as president, Hu Jintao - who was conspicuously removed from the CCP conference last month - and Xi Jinping, are scheduled to attend his funeral, according to a letter released by the state backed Global Times."