Chinese Communist Party Elder Song Ping Dies at 109

Song was the longest-living Politburo Standing Committee member.

Former CCP standing committee member Song Ping (C) attends opening session of the Chinese Communist Party's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 18, 2017. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Song Ping, the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) oldest retired official, died on March 4, according to Chinese state media. He was 109.

Song, a former state councilor and member of the powerful Politburo Standing Committee, passed away in Beijing due to unspecified illness, state media Xinhua reported.