China is deeply saddened by the passing of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe and expresses sincere sympathies to the Zimbabwean government, people and Mugabe's family, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Friday.

Mugabe, who led Zimbabwe to independence in 1980, died at the age of 95 on Friday.

"Mugabe was an outstanding liberation movement leader and statesman for Zimbabwe," Geng said at a news conference in Beijing.

Mugabe defended his country's national sovereignty and independence, opposed foreign interference and actively promoted the friendly relationship between China and Zimbabwe and China and Africa, Geng said.