Chen Hui (George Chen), former managing editor of China Daily, died on Friday. He was 80, and is survived by his wife, a daughter, a son and three grandchildren.

Chen joined China Daily in 1983, and contributed significantly to the development and growth of the paper, before retiring 10 years later. He founded China Business Weekly, and thus played a pivotal role in improving the paper's business coverage.

He pioneered the computerization of the editorial office, making China Daily the country's first newspaper to use a PC-based intranet editorial system in 1987. His expertise, however, was not confined to China Daily, for a few years later he also helped computerize Pakistan's news agency.

But journalism was not the only field he served the country in. Born in East China's Zhejiang Province, Chen spent his entire life making the world know about the Chinese revolution and the developments in New China.

He spent his teenage years in the US, and got his BA degree in history from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He was very active in the progressive students' movement led by the Chinese Students Christian Association, and served as its president, Chen Xiuxia, his wife and veteran diplomat, told China Daily. The couple fell in love during those years, and got married in Beijing in 1950.

"I always admired his dedication to journalism, his professionalism and his willingness to guide junior reporters," recalled South China Morning Post Deputy Editor Wang Xiangwei, who once worked with him in China Daily.

Chen returned to China in September 1949, and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Press Department in December, and later became the deputy head of the Translation Department. He served as interpreter for Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping and some foreign ministers on many an occasion.

In fact, he was Chairman Mao's and Premier Zhou's translator when American journalist and writer Edgar Snow visited China in 1960. He helped translate many important documents of the National People's Congress and the national congresses of the Communist Party of China and the treaties that were signed with other countries.

Between 1980 and 1982, he worked as the first Chinese alternate executive director on the board of the World Bank, and attended three annual sessions and two conferences of its Development Committee.

Even after retirement, Chen was active in promoting friendship and understanding between China and other countries. He was an executive council member of China Society for People's Friendship Studies, an NGO that conducts wide range of studies on the history of friendship between China and other countries.

He addressed two biannual symposiums that were jointly organized by the US Edgar Snow Memorial Fund. In 1998, the fund invited him as Edgar Snow visiting professor to deliver lectures at the Business School of UMKC. His lectures on China's development were highly appreciated by faculty members, students, as well as local entrepreneurs.

Chen's funeral will be held at the Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing on Thursday.