Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 25, 2003
Vice-President Visits Dead Weapons Inspector's Family
Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong visited the wife, son and mother of former Chinese weapons inspector Yu Jianxing to offer his condolences following Yu's death in Iraq on March 14.
Vice-President Visits Dead Weapons Inspector's Family
Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong visited the wife, son and mother of former Chinese weapons inspector Yu Jianxing to offer his condolences following Yu's death in Iraq on March 14.
Zeng said Yu was an excellent expert that sacrificed his life for the noble cause of safeguarding world peace. "His death is a loss to our country," he said.
The Chinese people mourn his death, and people throughout the world have shown their respect for him, said the vice president, who, together with Chinese President Hu Jintao, sent wreaths to Monday's funeral ceremony.
Zeng, accompanied by Liang Guanglie, chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said that the Chinese people love peace and that they will continue to contribute to world peace.
Yu's wife Xu Xinyi expressed her gratitude for the vice president's visit and concern. She said her family was proud of her husband, despite their deep sorrow.
Earlier, Guo Boxiong and Cao Gangchuan, both vice presidents of the Central Military Commission, visited the family.
Yu, a professor of the PLA Anti-chemical Command Engineering College, had taken part in two UN weapons inspection missions in Iraq since 1998. He died in a car accident while returning to Baghdad after completing a routine inspection.