Portrait of Li Peng, former chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee. Li died of illness in Beijing at the age of 91 at 11:11 p.m. Monday, an official statement said Tuesday. (Photo: Xinhua)

Li Peng, former chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, died of illness in Beijing at the age of 91 at 11:11 p.m. Monday, an official statement said Tuesday.

He had served as premier, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 13th, 14th and 15th central committees of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and a member of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the 12th CPC Central Committee, according to an obituary notice jointly issued by the CPC Central Committee, the NPC Standing Committee, the State Council and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Li was extolled in the statement as an excellent Party member, a time-tested and loyal communist soldier, and an outstanding proletarian revolutionist, statesman and leader of the Party and the state.