Qiao Shi, a top Communist Party official, who was once regarded as one of the most powerful men in China, has died at the age of 91 of an unspecified illness.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party announced that Qiao died on Sunday morning of an illness that he was undergoing treatment for, according to Xinhua. In his obituary, the party praised his loyalty and commitment, describing his death as "a great loss for the Party and the people."

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Qiao comes from Dinghai, Zhejiang Province. He was born on Dec, 1924 and named Jiang Zhitong.

Bloomberg reported that Qiao joined the Communist Party at the young age of 15. He had reportedly participated in the anti-Kuomintang movement before this. Qiao quickly rose through the ranks of the party when China became a republic in 1949. However, he was prosecuted during the "cultural revolution" period on account of the fact that his wife had a relative who was part of the Kuomintang government.

After the "cultural revolution" period in 1978, Qiao was appointed the Deputy Director of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party, and he continued his rise through the ranks, which had been prematurely stopped during his persecution.

Qiao served in the Central Secrets Committee and the State Council before he joined the Politburo Standing Committee between 1987 and 1997. He was considered a top contender to lead the country, but lost to Jiang Zemin. Instead, Qiao was appointed to become the chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Qiao retired in 1998 and rarely made public appearances after his retirement. China Gate News Channel has reported that after his retirement, Qiao continued to have "great political influence."

Qiao championed the rule of law throughout his career in public office. Experts say he was much more liberal than many of his contemporaries. Qiao is survived by his children. His wife Yu Wen died in 2013.

TagsQiao Shi, Qiao Shi China