China on Thursday mourned the passing of US Senator Edward Kennedy, who died at 77 after a yearlong struggle with brain cancer.

"He, as a senior US stateman, took care of and supported the development of China-US relations," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said in a statement.

"We pay deep tribute to his passing and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has sent a message of condolence to his family," said the statement.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2009)