Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji passes away at 98

BEIJING -- Former Chinese premier Zhu Rongji died of illness at the age of 98 in Beijing at 11:06 am Wednesday.

Zhu had served as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 14th and 15th Central Committees of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

An obituary, jointly issued by the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, extolled Zhu as an excellent Party member, a time-tested and loyal communist fighter, and an outstanding proletarian revolutionist, statesman and leader of the Party and the state.