The third annual session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) elected Zhang Meiying vice chairwoman of the advisory body Saturday.

Zhang, born in January 1944, serves as executive vice chairwoman of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League (CDL), deputy secretary-general of the CPPCC National Committee, vice-president of All-China Women's Federation and part-time professor at the Tumor Institute of Beijing University.

A native of Nanchong city in southwestern Sichuan Province, Zhang Meiying graduated from the Fourth Medical University of the People's Liberation Army in 1968. She worked as a surgeon with a PLA hospital from 1968 to 1971 and an official with the Health Bureau of Haidian District in Beijing between 1971 and 1979. She became a surgeon of Beijing Research Institute for Tumor Prevention and Treatment in 1979.

Between 1994 and 2000, Zhang served respectively as deputy head of the institute, vice president of the Tumor Hospital of top Beijing University of Medical Science and vice president of Beijing Tumor Hospital.

From 2000 to 2003, she was vice president of CDL Central Committee, deputy secretary-general of CPPCC National Committee, an executive member of All-China Women's Federation and part-time professor of the Tumor Institute affiliated to the Beijing University.

Since 2003, she has been serving as executive vice chairwoman of CDL Central Committee, deputy secretary-general of CPPCC National Committee, vice president of All-China Women's Federation and part-time professor at the Tumor Institute of Beijing University.

Zhang was a deputy to the Ninth National People's Congress and is a member of the 10th CPPCC National Committee.

(Peopledaily.com March 13, 2005)