Government and Policy

Lei Jieqiong celebrates her 105th birthday

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-12 20:14

BEIJING -- China's top political advisor, Jia Qinglin, visited Lei Jieqiong, a senior democratic personage, on her 105th birthday Sunday, to extend his best wishes to her.

Lei is a renowned sociologist and a former chairperson of the Central Committee of China Association for Promoting Democracy (CAPD), one of the democratic parties in China.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), shook hands with and greeted Lei as she lay in bed.

Jia also presented Lei a bouquet of flowers on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

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Lei is "a sincere friend of the CPC" and an internationally renowned scholar, said Jia, also a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

Having experienced the country's revolution, construction and reform, Lei established the CAPD with her peers and bravely struggled against the autocratic rule of the Kuomintang to "pursue peace, democracy and unification," Jia said.

She chose to cooperate with the CPC and discussed the founding of New China with late CPC leaders Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, Jia said.

He said Lei played a significant role in developing socialist democracy, upholding and improving the system of multi-party cooperation and political consultation under CPC leadership.

She also achieved in sociology, Jia added, hailing Lei as a representative of "the united front and the democratic parties."

Jia encouraged all members of the democratic parties to learn from Lei's "selfless contribution" and pursuit of her causes dedicated to the nation, the people and her career.

Lei, born in the southern city of Guangzhou in 1905, was formerly vice chairperson of the National People's Congress Standing Committee and the CPPCC National Committee.