BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Luo Ronghuan made a great contribution to the development of the people's army, the liberation of the Chinese people, and the country's socialist drive, says Jiang Zemin, China's president and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

He made this remark at a workshop held by the CMC Tuesday to mark the centenary of the birth of late Marshal Luo Ronghuan of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Hu Jintao, vice-president, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and vice-chairman of the CMC, attended the meeting in memory of the "long-tested proletarian revolutionary, strategist and outstanding leader of the Party, the state and the army."

In his address, Jiang recalled the revolutionary life of Luo, who joined the CPC when the Party was enduring its most difficult times in the late 1920s. Luo made an outstanding contribution to the political work of the army, Jiang noted.

Jiang praised Luo's strong loyalty to the Party and constant upholding of the banner of the Party. Luo had dedicated his whole life to the Party and the people, he said.

The workshop was presided over by Guo Boxiong and also addressed by Cao Gangchuan, who are members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and CMC vice-chairmen.

According to Cao, Luo was born in a village in Hengshan County,Hunan Province, on Nov. 26, 1902, and joined the Chinese Communist Youth League in April 1927 and the CPC later that year. He did notleave the CPC-led army until Dec. 16, 1963, when he died as the head of the General Political Department of the PLA.

In September 1955, Luo was named as one of 10 marshals of the PLA.

Those attending the workshop also included Chi Haotian, Zhang Wannian, Qian Qichen, Liu Huaqing, Cao Zhi, Han Zhubin, Zhu Guangya, Zhao Nanqi, Gu Mu, Zhang Zhen, Zhang Tingfa, Wang Ruilin,Liang Guanglie, Liao Xilong and Li Jinai, as well as Luo's wife, Lin Yueqin.