RIYADH, Aug. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao, attended the funeral of late Saudi King Fahd Ibn Abdul-Aziz on Tuesday.

    During the event, Hui, on behalf of President Hu and the Chinese government, expressed deep condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the newly-appointed King Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Aziz, new Crown Prince Sultan and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal.

    The late King Fahd has made an outstanding contribution to boosting Saudi economic and social development, to improving the people's living standard, to promoting unity and cooperation among Arab states, and to safeguarding regional security and stability, Hui said. He noted that King Fahd's efforts have been widely praised around the world.

    Hui also paid tribute to King Fahd's efforts to promote the Sino-Saudi relations, saying the bilateral ties have developed smoothly since the two countries established the diplomatic ties in 1990 during the reign of the late king.

    The monarch's demise "is not only a loss of a great leader to the Saudi people, but also the loss of an old friend to the Chinese people," Hui said.

    Hui, also on behalf of President Hu, congratulated King Abdullah on his accession to the throne and said China is glad to see that the friendly relations between the two countries will be further promoted.

    Abdullah, who was swiftly pronounced monarch Monday after the death of King Fahd, expressed his thanks for the attendance of the Chinese special envoy to the funeral as well as President Hu's congratulation on his accession.

    The new Saudi king also asked Hui to pass on his regards to President Hu, noting that he will make efforts to further develop his country's relations with China.

    Hui arrived here Tuesday afternoon for the funeral, which was also attended by heads of state, ministers or representatives from dozens of countries.

    King Fahd, 82, died Monday at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, to which he was admitted in May due to acute pneumonia. He was laid to rest in an unmarked grave on Tuesday. Enditem