Xi mourns over passing of former IOC chief

President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach on Monday over the passing of former IOC president Jacques Rogge, and also offered his sincere condolences to Rogge's family.

In the message, he called Rogge an outstanding IOC leader, and spoke highly of his great contributions to promoting the international Olympic movement and carrying on the Olympic spirit.

Rogge made active efforts to boost the healthy development of the Olympic movement, particularly youth sports activities, and has been greatly praised by people from all countries and those in sports circles, Xi said.

Xi described Rogge as an "old friend" and a "good friend" of the Chinese people, and said the former IOC president had supported China in developing sports and the Olympic movement, and made significant contributions to the successful 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

China attaches importance to the role of the Olympic movement in social development, and is willing to work with the IOC and the international community to make greater contributions to the development of the global Olympic movement, he said.

Rogge passed away on Sunday at the age of 79. The Belgian was the eighth president of the IOC from 2001 to 2013, when he was succeeded by Bach.