Jiang Zemin, former Chinese leader, appears in public, quashing rumors of death

Jiang Zemin, China's former president, has made a surprise public appearance, quashing rumors that he had died.

Jiang, 85, was seen on state television on Sunday morning at a Beijing ceremony, hosted by President Hu Jintao, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the revolution that overthrew the emperor.

(GlobalPost reports: China's president calls for unification with Taiwan)

Visibly frail, according to The New York Times, he stood with Chinese leaders in the Great Hall of the People and sang along to the national anthem.

Rumors Jiang had died started in July, the Daily Telegraph reports, "after he failed to appear at a meeting celebrating the party's 90th birthday.

When Hong Kong and Japanese media confirmed his death, the state-run Xinhua news agency published a rare denial.

The NYT quotes a scholar of elite Chinese politics at the Brookings Institution in Washington as calling Jiang's re-emergence "highly political."

"Retired top leaders apparently want to have more say on the country’s economic policy, political succession and foreign relations, especially at a time when the Chinese public has become increasingly concerned about the administrative capacity and political unity of the current leadership," Cheng Li reportedly said.

According to the Telegraph:

The health condition of Chinese leaders is extremely sensitive as it is considered a state secret, apparently because of concerns that illness might affect the appearance of stability in the party.

Hu, meantime, made an appeal for reunification with Taiwan, reportedly saying the two countries should "heal wounds of the past and work together to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."