Henry Kissinger death: why is China hailing former US secretary of state | Explained

China on Thursday highly praised former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger who died on Wednesday at the age of 100.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called Kissinger “an old friend and good friend of the Chinese people.”

“The Chinese people will remember Dr. Kissinger's sincere emotions and important contributions to China-US relations,” Wang said at the regular news conference on Thursday.

Kissinger served two presidents, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and dominated foreign policy as the United States withdrew from Vietnam and established ties with China.

Kissinger’s death was a leading topic on social media in China, where he is revered for having engineered the opening of relations between the ruling Communist Party and Washington under Nixon.

Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs long after he left office. In July, for instance, he met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing while U.S.-Chinese relations were at a low point.

Wang said both China and the United States should inherit and carry forward his "strategic vision, political courage, and diplomatic wisdom" in moving forward the relations.