BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged members and officials of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to emulate the achievements of an official who died on duty after six years of dedicated work as a village Party secretary.

Xi made the statement in Beijing while meeting with attendants to a ceremony to mark the release of a movie about the Party secretary's life in the village, and that of a book based on his diaries.

The official, Shen Hao, had been a provincial government official in Anhui in central China, but was later assigned as a village Party secretary in 2004.

Shen's devotion to his job brought about significant changes in the village and twice his term was extended at the request of the people in the village, though the work eventually cost him his life. He fell ill through constant overwork and died on November 6, 2009.

Xi hailed Shen as a role model for CPC members and officials and urged them to maintain close ties with the people.