India, Aug. 12 -- Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, who pushed sweeping economic reforms and helped steer China into the World Trade Organisation, has died, state media reported. He was 98.

Zhu died in Beijing at around 11 am on Wednesday after medical treatment for an unspecified illness failed, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.

Zhu served as premier from 1998 to 2003, after years as one of China's leading economic planners, The Hill reported.

As governor of the People's Bank of China from 1993 to 1995, Zhu also introduced measures to open China's financial sector to foreign investors and oversaw the country's first global bond sale.

Known for his sharp tongue and willingness to take difficult decisions, he pushed major refo...