BEIJING, Aug. 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Sunday called late leader Deng Xiaoping a selfless, dauntless and upright man who has devoted all his life to the Party and nation.

    At a grand gathering to commemorate Deng's birth centenary, Hu said Deng always put the future and destiny of the Party and the nation at the foremost position in his heart and never cared about personal gains or losses.

    Deng experienced "three downs and ups" in his career. When he was wrongfully removed from office and wrongfully treated, he never lost hope. Out of the boundless loyalty to the Party and people, he devoted himself to thinking deeply the experiences, lessons and fundamental laws of the Chinese revolution and construction, and was determined to make greater contribution, Hu said.

    When Deng resumed working after undergoing adverse conditions in the "Cultural Revolution," he took bold steps to straighten out the chaotic situation at the risk of being forced to step down again, winning the ardent support of the Party, the military and the people.

    Deng had long favored the abolishment of cadres' life-long tenure system and he took the lead in practice, playing a decisiverole in the smooth transition of the second generation of central collective leadership to the third, Hu said.

    Hu said Deng's more than 70 years of revolutionary career was closely linked with the founding and development of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the People's Liberation Army and the People's Republic of China. It was also closely linked with the earth-shaking changes of the outlook of China and the Chinese nation.

    Hu quoted former General Secretary of the CPC Central CommitteeJiang Zemin as saying: without Comrade Deng Xiaoping, the Chinese people would not live a new life like today's and there would not be today's new situation of reforms and opening up and the bright prospects of the socialist modernization.

    As a great man, the remarkable achievements and scientific theory of Deng Xiaoping have and will continue to change and influence China and the world at large, Hu said, adding that the Communists and people of all nationalities in China will always remember him and respect him. Enditem

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Special report: In memory of Deng Xiaoping