5月22日，“杂交水稻之父”袁隆平因多器官衰竭去世，享年91岁。受中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平委托，湖南省委书记许达哲专程看望了袁隆平同志的家属，转达习近平对袁隆平同志的深切悼念和对其家属的亲切问候。

President Xi Jinping has extended condolences to the family of scientist Yuan Longping, known as "father of hybrid rice," who died from multiple organ failure on May 22 at age 91. The condolences of Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, were conveyed by the secretary of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee Xu Dazhe, according to Hunan Daily. Xu visited Yuan's family and conveyed Xi's mourning for Yuan's passing.

习近平高度肯定袁隆平同志为我国粮食安全、农业科技创新、世界粮食发展作出的重大贡献，并要求广大党员、干部和科技工作者向袁隆平同志学习，强调我们对袁隆平同志的最好纪念，就是学习他热爱党、热爱祖国、热爱人民，学习他以祖国和人民需要为己任，以奉献祖国和人民为目标。

In the message, Xi highly affirmed Yuan's contribution to China's food security, innovation in agricultural technology, and world grain development. Xi urged Party members, cadres, and science and technology professionals to learn from Yuan, emphasizing that the best way to memorialize the scientist is to learn from him, particularly his love for the Party, the motherland and the people, his dedication to the needs of the motherland and the people, and his aspiration to serve the motherland and the people.

伟大出自平凡，平凡造就伟大。只要有坚定的理想信念、不懈的奋斗精神，脚踏实地把每件平凡的事做好，一切平凡的人都可以获得不平凡的人生，一切平凡的工作都可以创造不平凡的成就。

Greatness comes out of the ordinary. Adhering to firm ideals and convictions and working tirelessly to have their jobs done, every ordinary person can have an extraordinary life and every ordinary job can produce extraordinary achievements.

——2019年9月29日，习近平出席中华人民共和国国家勋章和国家荣誉称号颁授仪式并发表重要讲话