Member of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of 15th CPC Central Committee; head of Publicity Department of CPC Central Committee.

Ding Guangen, a former minister of Railways, was elected member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee at the First Plenum of the Party's 14th Central Committee in October 1992.

He also heads the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Ding joined the CPC in 1956. After his graduation from Jiaotong University in Shanghai in 1951 as a transport major, Ding worked in the Ministry of Railways, serving successively as engineer in its general transport bureau, director of its education bureau and secretary in the ministry's office.

From 1983 to 1985, Ding served as deputy secretary general of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's Legislature.

Ding became minister of Railways in June 1985. He was the first in the country's transportation sphere to launch a contract system in the railways sector, sharing revenues with the state and assuming responsibilities for cargo freight, passenger transportation, infrastructure construction and car renovation under strict contract terms.

In 1985, he was co-opted member of the 12th CPC Central Committee and, two years later, became alternate member of Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee. He was co-opted member of the Secretariat at the Fourth Plenum of the Party's 13th Central Committee.

In August 1988, Ding was appointed director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, assuming the important duty of organizing, directing, managing and coordinating Taiwan-related affairs. He was vice minister of the State Planning Commission at the same time. In November 1990, Ding became head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Ding was installed director of the Central Commission for Guiding the Ethic and Cultural Progress in May 1997.

Ding, member of 12th to 15th CPC Central Committees, was reelected member of Political Bureau, and member of Secretariat, of 15th CPC Central Committee, 1997.

He is deputy to 8th NPC.