China's top legislator Li Peng expressed grief over the death of G.M.C. Balayogi, speaker of the Indian Parliament's lower house, who was killed in a helicopter crash in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh Sunday.
In a message of condolence to India's Lok Sabha, or lower house of the parliament, Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of China, said he was shocked and grieved to learn of the death.
"Mr. Balayogi is not only a personal friend of mine, but also an old friend of the Chinese people," said Li in the message.
"He made positive contributions to promoting the friendship between the peoples of India and China and to boosting exchange and cooperation between the two countries' parliaments and in other fields," he said.
On behalf of the NPC Standing Committee and in his own name, Li also expressed sincerest sympathy to the family of Balayogi.
(Xinhua News Agency March 3, 2002)
