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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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Henry Kissinger, the controversial former American diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner, died on Wednesday at his home in Connecticut aged 100.
In a highly influential career, Kissinger served as both Secretary of State and National Security Adviser under the Richard Nixon administration, overseeing major shifts in U.S. foreign policy including both the intensification and end of the Vietnam War, a thaw in relations with Mao Zedong's China and the American support for right-wing dictatorships in Chile and Argentina. He went on to advise the administrations of several other presidents including George W. Bush and Donald Trump.
His death sparked a wave of tributes from prominent American political figures, but also intense criticism on social media with some commentators suggesting he should have been tried as a war criminal. By contrast, he was widely mourned in China, both by political leaders and social media commentators, with the People's Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Chinese communist party, praising him as an "old friend of the Chinese people."
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Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Kissinger had "really set the standard for everyone who followed in this job", according to the Associated Press, adding he'd been "very privileged to get his counsel many times, including as recently as about a month ago."
In a statement, George W. Bush paid his tribute, commenting: "I have long admired the man who fled the Nazis as a young boy from a Jewish family, then fought them in the United States Army.
"When he later became Secretary of State, his appointment as a former refugee said as much about his greatness as it did America's greatness."
Nixon's daughters, Tricia Nixon Cox and Julie Nixon Eisenhower, released a joint statement saying their father and Kissenger had created "a partnership that produced a generation of peace for our nation."
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Posting on X, formerly Twitter, ex-New York mayor Rudy Giuliani described Kissenger as "not just the foremost expert on foreign policy, but he was a great teacher and someone I'm proud to call a friend."
However, other Americans were profoundly critical of his legacy, with Rolling Stone running an article titled: "Henry Kissinger, war criminal beloved by America's ruling class, finally dies."
Spike Cohen, president of You Are The Power, a self-styled group of "liberty-minded activists," wrote: "Yesterday, Henry Kissinger died in the comfort of his home, surrounded by loved ones. He will no doubt receive a hero's funeral, courtesy of the US taxpayer.
"The corporate media will lavish him with praise, only occasionally noting his 'notoriety' and the 'controversy' surrounding his foreign policy. Sadly, the millions of victims of that policy, over the course of the past 7 decades, weren't afforded the same luxuries. To the Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians, Bangladeshis, and many other people around the world, Henry Kissinger was the equivalent of a Himmler or Goring to them."
Marc Lamont Hill, a presidential professor at City University of New York, responded to a tribute from the Anti-Defamation League by posting: "Kissinger was a war criminal. He is responsible for the deaths of millions, along with fomenting various forms of civil unrest and violence around the world. And he was NOT unapologetic about his heritage. Instead, he comforted unabashedly antisemitic leaders by promising that he was 'different' or 'one of the good ones.'"
By contrast, the reaction in China, which Kissinger helped re-integrate into the international community following the communist seizure of power in 1949 and split off from the Soviet Union, was overwhelmingly one of mourning.
Speaking at a press briefing Wang Wenbin, according to Reuters, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, commented: "Dr. Kissinger was a good old friend of the Chinese people. He is a pioneer and builder of Sino-U.S. relations."
Kissinger visited China more than 100 times in his life, the first in 1971 which led to Nixon's visit to the former pariah nation the following year. In July he received a warm welcome from President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing.
An article in the People's Daily on Kissinger's death, reflecting the Chinese communist party's position, said: "Among ordinary Chinese people, Kissinger is a highly recognized name for American politicians. This 'China Connect' who has been dealing with China for more than 40 years is known as 'an old friend of the Chinese people.
"Kissinger occupies an important position in the history of American diplomacy, has an indelible position, and is also a historical witness of Sino-US relations."
Posting on X Xie Feng, China's ambassador to the U.S. said Kissinger's death was "a tremendous loss for both our countries and the world."
He added: "The history will remember what the centenarian had contributed to China-U.S. relations, and he will always remain alive in the hearts of the Chinese people as a most valued old friend."
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