President Hu Jintao paid a visit to centenarian Lei Jieqiong on Tuesday afternoon in Beijing, expressing sincere greetings and best wishes to her on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Lei, honorary chairwoman of the Central Committee of the China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD) and a distinguished professor and sociologist, hosted Hu and his entourage including Jia Qinglin, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, at her home in Beijing on Tuesday.
Hu greeted Lei saying that she is a respectable senior leader of the country and non-Communist party, a sincere friend of the CPC and a world-renowned scholar. The 100 years Lei has seen is a century of significance because of the many changes that the nation has gone through.
He said Lei has made great contributions to the revolution and peace causes of China, and done great work in promoting socialist democratic politics and peaceful reunification of the country. She has also achieved remarkable progress in sociology.
During his visit, Hu gave Lei a basket of flowers to congratulate her on her 100th birthday. In return, Lei gave him a copy of her biography.
Born in 1905 in Guangzhou in south China's Guangdong Province, Lei was a founding member of the CAPD formed in Shanghai in 1945. She has served as vice-chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), vice-chairwoman of the CPPCC National Committee, and chairwoman of the CAPD.
(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2005)
