Over 33,000 Chinese netizens presented virtual flowers to Deng Xiaoping on Internet portal Sina.com, showing their respect for him on the 10th anniversary of his death.

Deng Xiaoping died on Feb. 19, 1997, at the age of 92. Ten years has passed and during this rapturous Spring Festival people never forget him, the Chinese leader who initiated the country's reform and opening up.

Residents in northeast China's Harbin City presented flowers to a huge portrait of Deng on the provincial government square Monday.

Many people visited Deng's former residence at Guang'an in southwest China's Sichuan province. Some of them took photos in front of Deng's bronze statue.

Citizens in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, also took photos in front of Deng's portrait, which depicts Deng as the chief architect of China's reform and opening.

Evidence that Deng continues to "be alive" in the hearts of Shenzheners is visible on top of Lotus Hill, where a crowd gathers daily in front of his statue erected in 2000.

"The statue has become a must-visit place for visitors to Shenzhen," said Hong Ruowang, an engineer with the Lotus Hill Park management office.

Shenzhen was just a tiny fishing village before it was singled out as a "Special Economic Zone". It typifies the rapid economic development propelled by Deng's reform and opening-up policy.

A visitor surnamed Zheng, 66, from Yangzhou City of eastern Jiangsu Province, said he visited Deng's statue every year.

Zheng was born to a landlord's family. Due to his family background, he did not get any promotion in his work for over 20 years. Deng's policy changed his fate. He became the vice head of a factory in 1983 and opened his own company in 2001.

"Without Deng Xiaoping, my family would not have the happy days," he told the Southern Metropolis News.

Influential websites, such as people.com.cn, xinhuanet.com, sina.com, cctv.com, eastday.com, feature special columns with one theme:"Xiaoping, thank you, and we miss you."

Sina.com invited Deng's four grandchildren to talk about Deng, recollecting the days they spent together with Deng.

People.com.cn prepared a picture collection for netizens, including 230 pictures of Deng Xiaoping.

Guangzhou's Southern Weekend journal did a special coverage of Deng, analyzing Deng's theory and his contributions.

Tsang Hin-chi, a deputy to the National People's Congress from Hong Kong, told Xinhua that it was his biggest regret that he had not had a chance to meet Deng.

"Deng put forward the idea of 'one country, two systems' with great wisdom and courage. I believe Hong Kong citizens will always remember his monumental contributions," said Tsang.

Long Pingping, a researcher at the Party Literature Research Center of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, attributed China's rapid development in the past ten years to the legacy of Deng Xiaoping Theory.

Source: Xinhua