Former Chinese president Jiang Zemin made a rare public appearance Sunday, months after speculation that he had died or was close to death.

The 85-year-old Mr. Jiang appeared at a ceremony commemorating the 1911 revolution that overthrew imperial rule on the mainland and installed a nationalist government that was in turn overthrown by the communist forces of Mao Zedong in 1949.

Observers said Mr. Jiang looked frail as he took his seat on stage at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with other former and current top Chinese leaders.

Rumors of Mr. Jiang's death began circulating in July after he failed to appear at a meeting celebrating the Communist Party's 90th anniversary.

The state-run Xinhua news agency published a denial, dismissing the reports as rumor.