Pranab Mukherjee's death huge loss for Sino-India friendship: China

Beijing, September 1

China on Tuesday paid rich tributes to former President Pranab Mukherjee, saying he was a veteran statesman and his death is a huge loss for India-China friendship.

The 84-year-old veteran politician died of a cardiac arrest on Monday evening in a hospital in New Delhi following a 21-day battle with multiple ailments.

“Former President Mukherjee was a veteran statesman of India. In his 50 years in politics, he made positive contributions to China-India relations,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said while replying to a question during a media briefing here. 

Referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India in 2014 and his meeting with Mukherjee, she said after the meeting the two countries issued a joint statement on building closer development partnership.

“It is a heavy loss for China-India friendship and to India. We express deep condolences over his passing and extend sincere sympathies to the Indian Government and his family,” said Hua. PTI