BEIJING -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin Sunday spoke highly of the contribution made by the late Hong Kong patriot Wong Kwan Cheng to the development of China and the return of Hong Kong to motherland.

Jia Qinglin (C), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Lu Yongxiang (3rd R), vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, and Liu Yandong (3rd L), vice chairwoman of the CPPCC National Committee, pose for a group photo with relatives of late Hong Kong patriot Wong Kwan Cheng in Beijing June 17, 2007. [Xinhua]

When meeting with the relatives of Wong, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, encouraged them to continue to support the education and modernization drive on the mainland and make more contribution to the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

A ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of Wong's birth was held here on Sunday.

Wong Kwan Cheng, a successful Hong Kong industrialist, was a leading donor to education and social welfare causes on Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong.

In 1985, Wong contributed 100 million U.S. dollars to establishthe K.C. Wong Education Foundation to support mainland scholars studying and conducting research abroad.

Since 1987, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the foundation have provided financial assistance to help researchers from colleges, universities and research institutes attend international academic conferences. The foundation also encourages overseas Chinese scholars to work in the CAS.

Over the past two decades, nearly 2,500 researchers of CAS have received assistance from the foundation.