President pays tributes to respected sinologist master

President Xi Jinping paid tribute to respected sinologist Jao Tsung-i on Wednesday — expressing his condolences to Jao’s family.

Jao, a renowned sinologist and scholar, passed away in Hong Kong on Tuesday, Feb 6. He was 101 years old, born on Aug 9, 1917.

Joining Xi, many leaders across the country paid tribute to Jao. Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday praised Jao’s leading contribution to sinology and his efforts in advancing Chinese culture over more than 80 years of academic studies, teaching and artistic creation. He said Jao’s contribution and achievements would last forever.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, echoed Li’s tributes in his message of condolence.

He said Jao, as a leader in sinology, was renowned at home and abroad. He had played an active and vital role in the implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle, by promoting cultural development in Hong Kong as well as the country. Jao had also fostered cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong, who is an old acquaintance of Jao, said she was deeply saddened by his death.

Liu acknowledged Jao’s great achievements in archeology, oracle bone script, ancient Chinese literature and other fields. She added that Jao’s passing was “a great loss for Chinese cultural studies”.

Also paying their respects were Vice-Premier Wang Yang, Vice-President Li Yuanchao, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, head of the Organization

Jao had played an active and vital role in the implementation of the ‘one country, two systems’ principle.”

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress

Department of the Communist Party of China Chen Xi, former president Hu Jintao, former member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Political Bureau Liu Yunshan and former secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC Wang Qishan.

Tributes also came from Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and its director Zhang Xiaoming, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Wang Zhimin, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR Xie Feng, Minister of Culture Luo Shugang, Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People’s Government, China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Chairman of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Committee and former Liaison Office director Peng Qinghua, former director of the Xinhua News Agency in Hong Kong Zhou Nan, former minister of culture and President of the China National Arts Fund Cai Wu, Sun Yat-sen University and Yunnan University.