Zhang Tiefu, a former Chinese economic official, passed away at the age of 84.

According to a government obituary released on Friday, Zhang died on Nov. 9, 2006 in Beijing. Chinese President Hu Jintao and other senior state and Party officials expressed their condolences after Zhang's death, it said.

Born in Juye County of eastern Shangdong Province, Zhang joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1941. He worked in Communist revolutionary newspapers and Xinhua News Agency before the founding of the People's Republic of China.

After 1949, Zhang got engaged in the economic work and joined the state agriculture commission in 1981. He became the adviser for the State Council Rural Development Research Center later.

Zhang retired as a vice-minister level official from the Ministry of Agriculture.

Source: Xinhua