Five books of former Chinese Vice- Premier Li Lanqing were released in Singapore's International Convention and Exhibition Center Monday, together with the inauguration of an exhibition of Li's seal carving art.

Among the books are the Chinese and the English editions of " Education for 1.3 Billion," which focuses on the course of the sweeping reform and development of China's ten-year cross-century education through a series of interviews with Li, who retired in 2003.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said that Li's magnum opus was his 10 years in charge of education with an aim to give every willing student the chance to learn and to achieve China's rejuvenation through education.

Li also presented himself at the ceremony, which saw more than 300 participants.

His other two books, namely, Li Lanqing's Essays on Music and Music, Art, Life - Lectures on Essays on Music, manifested his passion for and understanding of European classic music and the impact of music on work and life, while the fifth book, Let Stones Speak My Mind - Li Lanqing's Seal Carving Art, features some engraved signatures and colophons he has created in his retired life.

The exhibition, which is to open to the public from Tuesday through Thursday, displays 92 seals and 38 works of calligraphy done during 2003 to 2006.

Li started his six-day visit to Singapore from late Sunday at the invitation of Lee Kuan Yew and the National University of Singapore (NUS). He will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from the NUS during his stay.

Source: Xinhua