More than 6,000 books collected by late famous journalist Israel Epstein, known as "a true old friend of the Chinese people," was donated to a library of Tsinghua University in Beijing on Saturday.

His works, photos and scripts were also donated to the university by his wife Ai Huanghuanbi, who said it was the will of Epstein to donate the books to a public library so as to benefit more people.

"My wife and I were moved when we saw Epstein's scripts. He kept detailed records of all his interviews, which has become historical materials that witnessed the changes of China," said Lin Wusun, former head of China International Publishing Group.

The Israel Epstein Research Center was inaugurate in the university by Wang Chen, head of the Information Office of State Council, and Tsinghua Vice President Xie Weihe.

Born to a Jewish family on April 20, 1915, Epstein came to China with his parents at the age of two. He began to work for China's revolution in 1933 and became a Chinese citizen in 1957. The noted journalist and writer once served as editor-in-chief of China Reconstructs (China Today) magazine.

"It's no surprise that Epstein stayed in China for his whole life," said former administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes Seymour Topping on the sidelines of the ceremony. "China has experienced a lot on the past decades, and Epstein's responsibility as a reporter to seek for truth makes him stay to document Chinese people, Chinese revolution and the development of China."

From 1983 on, Epstein served as an elected member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top advisory body in China.

When serving as a correspondent of the United Press and the Allied Labor News of the United States, Epstein visited northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Shanxi-Suiyuan Anti-Japanese Base Areas, and interviewed Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and other leaders of the Communist Party of China.

His major books include "The People's War in China," "The Unfinished Revolution in China" and "My China Eye-Memos of a Jew and a Journalist."

He died in Beijing at age 90 on May 26, 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2008)