China Mourns Death Of Henry Kissinger, Crediting Him For Ending Mao-era Isolation

On Thursday, Beijing's foreign ministry praised the late US diplomat Henry Kissinger, lauding his "historic contributions" to the relationship between China and the US. They referred to him as an "old and good friend of the Chinese people".

Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated that Kissinger has always expressed concern for and advocated the progression of China-US relations. He has visited China over a hundred times and made significant contributions towards normalising China-US relations.

Wang highlighted that Dr. Kissinger, during his life, underscored the importance of the relationship between China and the US. He firmly believed that this relationship was vital for the peace and prosperity of not just the two countries, but the whole world.

The former US Secretary of State, Kissinger, who was known for his unabashed advocacy of sheer American power that significantly influenced the post-World War II world, passed away on Wednesday.

In China, he is affectionately referred to as the "old friend of the Chinese people" due to his significant role in building relationships during the 1970s and aiding the nation's emergence from its isolation during the Mao era.

Wang reported that a message of condolence was sent by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to US President Joe Biden following the death of Kissinger, whom Xi had met in Beijing in July.

He also mentioned that both Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi have extended their messages of condolence.

Wang emphasized that both China and the United States should adopt and continue to promote Dr. Kissinger's strategic insight, political bravery, and diplomatic acumen.

He further emphasized that it was crucial for both nations to uphold principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, in line with the significant consensus they had reached.