The former Chinese president Jiang Zemin, who led his country out of isolation after the crushing of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square and supported economic reforms that led to a decade of explosive growth, has died aged 96.

• Jiang died from leukaemia and multiple organ failure in Shanghai at 12.13pm local time, the official Xinhua news agency said. 
• His death comes as China sees some of its most serious protests since Tiananmen, with many demonstrating against Covid restrictions.
•  Jiang rose to power after the bloody 1989 crackdown on protestors in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square, which led to China being ostracised internationally.