"Bo died of illness at 20:30 on Monday in Beijing," the statement said.

    Born in Shanxi Province in 1908, Bo joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) at the age of 17 and lived to be the Party's oldest member.

    "Bo had been a member of the 7th, 8th and 11th CPC Central Committees, alternate member of the Political Bureau of the 8th CPC Central Committee, and vice premier of the State Council," the statement said.

    It said Bo was also deputy head of the former CPC Central Advisory Committee.

    "Bo was an excellent CPC member, a great Communist warrior, a great proletarian revolutionary and a prominent leader in the Party's economic work," the statement said.

    After the new Chinese republic was founded in 1949, Bo led the country's economic work and was later elected honorary president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

    Bo also wrote a two-volume book, which featured his memories of CPC policy making during some key historic events.

    Bo Xilai, his son, is currently China's Minister of Commerce.