Longtime China friend dies

Israeli elder statesman Peres had deep connection to Chinese, advanced bilateral ties

Shimon Peres, the last of Israel's founding fathers, who died at age 93 on Wednesday morning, was no stranger to the Chinese people.

The popularity of the leader, who had served terms as Israel's prime minister and president, rose significantly in China when he opened an account on the Sina Weibo social media platform ahead of his state visit as Israeli president in April 2014.