Boston University mourns Chinese student killed in bombings

Boston University on Thursday held a memorial service to mourn Chinese student Lu Lingzi who died in the Boston Marathon bombings earlier this week.

Cen Jianjun, educational counselor at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, said at the memorial that he hoped students could turn sorrow into strength and make more contribution to social development.

Hundreds of Chinese students, including those from Boston University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, attended the memorial.

Three people died and hundreds were injured in twin explosions that occurred Monday near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. A Chinese student named Zhou Danling was severely injured in the bombings.

Lu's parents are leaving for the United States on Friday. "We are grieving and at a loss for words to describe the pain and sadness we are experiencing following the sudden passing of our dear daughter," said a letter from Lu's family posted on Boston University's website.

Boston University has set up a scholarship fund in her name and has already received contributions totaling 560,000 U.S. dollars, according to the fund's online campaign page.

"Promise and potential, cut short," read an article posted on Boston University's website that mourned Lu's death.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday expressed sorrow for Lu and instructed the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the Chinese Embassy in the United States and the Chinese Consulate General in New York to make all-out efforts to handle the aftermath and arrange treatment for the injured student.

U.S. President Barack Obama grieved for Lu Thursday morning at an interfaith service honoring the victims of the bombings.

"And in the heartache of her family and friends on both sides of the great ocean, we're reminded of the humanity that we all share," Obama said.