A host of senior Chinese officials turned out on Friday to bid a final farewell to Zhang Dingfa, former navy commander of People's Liberation Army (PLA), who was cremated at the Babaoshan Cemetery in Beijing.

Zhang, a member of the Central Military Commission, died on Dec. 14 aged 63. He was honored as "excellent" member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a time-tested, loyal Communist fighter and an excellent leader of naval modernization.

President Hu Jintao, Vice President Zeng Qinghong, and other state, Party and PLA leaders, including Zhou Yongkang, He Guoqiang, Guo Boxiong, Cao Gangchuan, attended the funeral.

Zhang, joined the PLA in 1960 and was admitted to the CPC in 1964. He was an alternate member of the 15th and 16th CPC Central Committees. He was promoted to admiral of the PLA navy in 2004.

Hu Jintao, former president Jiang Zemin, and state and Party leaders Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Zeng Qinghong, Huang Ju, Wu Guanzheng, Li Changchun and Luo Gan visited Zhang when he was in hospital or paid their condolences to his family after his death.

(Xinhua News Agency December 23, 2006)