World leaders and other people offered a polarized reaction to the death of the lionized and vilified former diplomat Henry Kissinger, who managed to hold global attention decades after his service as U.S. secretary of state.

Criticism of Kissinger was especially strong on social media, where he was widely referred to as a war criminal.

Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs long after he left office. He met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing in July, while bilateral relations were at a low point. Xi told him that both sides need to “make new decisions” that could result in stable ties and “joint success and prosperity.” Kissinger is revered in China for having engineered the opening of relations between the ruling Communist Party and Washington under Nixon.