国内英语新闻:Sun Yat-sen remembered on 85th anniversary of death

BEIJING, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese mainland held ceremonies Friday commemorating the 85th anniversary of the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of the anti-feudalism revolution in China.

In Beijing, a ceremony was held in Zhongshan Park, a park named after Dr. Sun.

Abdul'ahat Abdulrixit, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, Zhou Tienong, chairman of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK), Lou Zhihao, deputy head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Beijing Vice-Mayoress Cheng Hong placed flower baskets at the foot of a statue of Sun Yat-sen.

The ceremony was presided over by Li Wuwei, vice chairman of the Central Committee of the RCCK, and was joined by more than 200 people including representatives from the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.

Local officials and citizens in east China's Jiangsu Province marked the day at the mausoleum of Dr. Sun in Nanjing, capital city of Jiangsu, honoring his spirit and achievements in the revolution and calling for national reunification.

In Shanghai, books were published about Dr. Sun and his wife, Soong Ching Ling, former Chinese Honorary President, commemorating his death.

A local official at the Shanghai ceremony held in the former residence of Dr. Sun, said he hoped that the books would promote patriotism among the public, especially the youth.

Dr. Sun was born in 1866 and died in 1925. He is known to the Chinese as a "great revolutionary and statesman" who fought against feudalism and imperialist aggression and for the independence and freedom of the Chinese people. Memorial ceremonies are held every year on the date of his death around the nation.