Former International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, pictured in Buenos Aires in 2013, has died at the age of 79. The Belgian was the eighth president of the IOC, from 2001 to 2013, after which he was succeeded by Thomas Bach. (PHOTO / AFP)

People in China are mourning the death of Jacques Rogge, former president of the International Olympic Committee, who had close connections with China's sports community.

The IOC announced on Sunday the passing of Rogge at the age of 79. He served as the eighth IOC president from 2001 to 2013 before becoming its honorary president.

Chinese people paid tribute to him on social media, hailing his devotion to the Olympic movement as well as his help for sports in China.

What strikes me most is the cultural diversity of China and the richness of your culture

Jacques Rogge, former president of the International Olympic Committee

Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that Rogge was an outstanding leader of the Olympic movement and an old friend of the Chinese people. He made distinctive contributions to the development of the Olympics, the deepening of friendly cooperation between the IOC and China and the successful hosting of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

"We express our deepest condolences on his unfortunate passing and to his family," he said.

Yi Siling, a gold medalist in shooting at the 2012 Olympics, was presented the award by Rogge. She said on Weibo that Rogge was always full of smiles when she met him. He loved to be around athletes, and it was thanks to his efforts that the world witnessed the birth of the Youth Olympic Games.

"I knew that he had been suffering from illness, but it was still a shock when I read the news of his death this morning," Yi said.

"I thank him for his contribution to the Olympic movement. May he rest in peace," she added.

Rogge was elected president of the IOC on July 16, 2001, three days after Beijing won the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games. During the preparations for the 2008 Games, Rogge frequently visited China and attended the opening ceremonies of the country's National Games in 2001, 2005 and 2009.

The first athlete to whom he presented a gold medal after taking office was Chinese shooter Du Li at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in Greece.

In 2005, he attended China's 10th National Games in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province. After seeing the opening ceremony, Rogge said, "With the preparations that you have now for the National Games, I would not be surprised if China led the medal count at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games."

He often expressed his love for Chinese culture and his support for the Beijing Games.

"I have visited some parts of China but you have such a wide and vast and rich country that I probably only have seen a very, very small amount.... What strikes me most is the cultural diversity of China and the richness of your culture," he said in an exclusive interview with China Daily in 2006.

In 2007, Rogge said Beijing was making "truly impressive" preparations for the next year's Games.

He said at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Olympics that Beijing had presented "truly exceptional Games "through which the world learned more about China and China learned more about the world.

In 2014, one year after Rogge stepped down as IOC president, he attended the second Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing and said Beijing would do a "very good job" if it won the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

zhangyangfei@chinadaily.com.cn