Song Renqiong, a former leading official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), died of illness in Beijing Saturday morning at the age of 96.

Song Renqiong (File photo)

Song had been a member of the Political Bureau of the 12th CPC Central Committee, deputy head of former CPC Central Advisory Commission, and vice-chairman of the 4th and 5th National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Previously, he was an alternate member of the Political Bureau of the 8th CPC Central Committee, and secretary of the Secretariat of the 11th CPC Central Committee.

Song was an outstanding member of the CPC, a great Communist solider, a remarkable proletarian revolutionary and a prominent leader of the Party's political work, sources with the CPC said.

Source: Xinhua