Vice-Premier Qian Qichen Mourns Over Death of Assad

Chinese Vice-Premier Qian Qichen went to the Syrian Embassy in Beijing Monday afternoon to mourn over the death of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on behalf of the Chinese government.

Qian wrote in a mourning book at the embassy that President al- Assad devoted all his life to safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and people's happiness of Syria, and that he contributed greatly to the development of Sino-Syrian friendly relations. The Chinese government and people deeply mourns over the death of President al-Assad.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, the Ministry of Culture, the Beijing Municipal Government and the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries also went along with Qian to mourn over the death of the Syrian president.

President al-Assad died of disease last Saturday.



People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/