China's top leaders and
representatives from all walks of life gather at the Great Hall of the
People in Beijing August 22, 2004 to commemorate the birth centenary of
Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening-up
drive.
BEIJING, Aug. 22 (Xinhuanet) --
Chinese people all over the country paid homage Sunday to late Chinese
leader Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's reform and opening up
drive, to commemorate the centenary of his birth.
A large gathering
in Beijing Sunday morning in the Great Hall of the People marked the
occasion.
Addressing the audience, Chinese
President Hu Jintao said: "Deng Xiaoping is a great man of the world" and
his "achievements and scientific theories will, as they already did,
continue to change and influence China and the world at
large."
In Nanjing, capital of east China's
Jiangsu Province, a large-scale photo exhibition of on Deng Xiaoping,
attracted crowds Sunday.
"Deng Xiaoping has produced
far-reaching influence on the Chinese society. Thanks to him, Chinese
people now enjoy much higher living standards and have a broader vision of
the world," said a visitor, who came to the exhibition with his wife and
their teenage son.
In Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong
Province, 200 pianists played together a composition written in praise of
Deng Xiaoping at the foot of the Lotus Mountain. Director of the concert
said the number of players, ranging from an 8-year-old child to an
82-year-old retired music professor, created a new Guinness World
record.
Since early morning, many people had
gone to Lotus Mountain, placing flowers around the bronze statue of Deng
that sits at the top.
A local man surnamed Chen brought his
children and his grandchildren to the statue to present flowers and take
photos.
"Shenzhen was a backward town before
China's reform and opening-up. My two sons both ran to the nearby Hong
Kong to seek a living," said Chen. "The reform and opening-up pushed by
Deng Xiaoping and his great plan for establishing a special economic zone
here have greatly changed our lives. We now lead a happy and well-off live
and my two sons have returned. We feel grateful to Deng Xiaoping and will
always remember him."
The national postal administration
issued a set of commemorative stamps in honor of Deng
Sunday.
In Baise, south China's Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region, a bronze statue of Deng Xiaoping was unveiled
Sunday at his former military command headquarters. Another bronze statue
of Deng was unveiled in Lushan County, central China's Henan Province,
where Deng has worked.
In Guang'an, roads to Deng Xiaoping's
former residence were jammed as great numbers of people came to pay
respect.
Zhang Mingde, who drove to here from
another city, was not disturbed by the trouble.
"Without Deng Xiaoping, we wouldn't
have the happy life of today. We cherish memories of him genuinely and
sincerely," said Zhang.
For young people, Deng Xiaoping is a
source of inspiration.
"Grandpa Deng had a hard experience
in France. Yet he managed to go on with work-study program even in that
harsh conditions. Heis far greater than us," said Hu Jialin, a junior high
school student who went here with his parents from
Chongqing.
Commemoration activities have been
going on all year across the country, including showing new films about
Deng, holding commemoration gatherings and photo
exhibitions.
A major purpose of the
commemorations, as stated by Chinese President Hu Jintao at Sunday's grand
gathering in Beijing, is to recall and learn from Deng Xiaoping's style
and integrity and further push forward China's development.
