China’s President Xi Jinping has offered his condolences to South Africa over the death of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, praising him as a ‘world-renowned’ leader.

“With arduous and extraordinary efforts, he led the people of South Africa to success in the struggle against apartheid, making a historic contribution to the birth and development of a new South Africa,” Xi said in a message of condolence to South African President Jacob Zuma on Friday, according to a report posted on the central government’s website.

Mandela passed away at the age of 95 in Johannesburg on Thursday.

“Mr. Mandela was a world-renowned statesman,” the message stated.

Mandela, who visited China twice, “actively promoted friendly cooperation between China and South Africa in various areas,” Xi said.

“The Chinese people will forever keep in memory the outstanding contributions he made to... the development of humankind.”

People in Beijing laid flowers before an image of Mandela outside the South African embassy.

China’s Foreign Ministry also hailed Mandela as an “old friend of the Chinese people.”

“He was not only revered as the ‘father of the state’ by South African people, but also won the respect and love of people all over the world,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement.

Mandela, who led South Africa’s transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s after nearly three decades in prison, was one of the towering political figures of the 20th century.

He served as president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election.