He graduated in July 1963 from the Automatic Control Department of the Beijing Industrial Institute after five years of study. From 1963 to 1965, he served as a technician in the No 743 troop of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). From 1965 to 1969 he worked as a technician in the No 7 Ministry of Machine-Building.

Between 1969 and 1970, he was sent to do manual work at the Chikan Base of the PLA Guangzhou Troops and later at the Xihu Production Base in Hunan Province.

From 1970 to 1973, he worked as a technician in the No 7 Ministry of Machine-Building. From 1973 to 1979, he was a technician in the production division, and later science and technology division of the Beijing Municipal Office of the National Defense Industry.

Between 1979 and 1981, he worked as a secretary in the General Office of the State Planning Commission, and served as deputy division chief in the General Office of the State Energy Commission from 1981 to 1982.

From 1982 to 1983, he worked in the liaison department of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Petroleum Industry. From 1983 to 1984, he held a number of positions in the oil industry, first as deputy manager of the liaison office of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), later deputy director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Petroleum, and then secretary of the Party Committee of the Southern Yellow Sea Petroleum Company under CNOOC.

Between 1984 and 1986, he served as deputy head and later head of the organization department of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, Standing Committee member and secretary-general of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee. He was deputy secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee from 1986 to 1989.

From 1989 to 1993, he served as deputy director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee. Since 1993, he has been director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Work Committee of Departments under the CPC Central Committee.

Between October and November of 1993, he attended a class of political studies for principal leading officials at the provincial or ministry level, organized by the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

(China Daily)