On this Day in Chinese History; 22 May

This day, 22 May, in 1885, the great French writer Victor Hugo passed away. Of him, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing once said, “He loved his France, but he also strongly condemned the British and French coalition forces for seizing Beijing and burning the Old Summer Palace. Such people who love their motherland and have a sense of justice on historical issues can be respected by both their own and foreign people”.