BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping praised a late county official for his good ties with the people and devotion to his cause, according to an official release on Monday.

Lan Hui, former deputy head of Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, fell off a cliff and died while inspecting a rural road on May 23 of this year. He was 48.

Xi called on officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to learn from Lan, who was hailed as a role model in implementing the "mass line," a guideline under which CPC officials and members are required to prioritize the interests of the people and persist in representing them and working on their behalf.

"Comrade Lan Hui always placed the cause of the Party and the people at the top spot of his heart," Xi wrote, adding that Lan was "a role model for CPC members in the new era."

Xi asked CPC members and officials to learn from Lan's virtues, including loyalty to the Party, diligence and dedication to his job.