Zhang is presently one of the vice chairmen of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Reuters mentions Zhang as “a political ally” of President Hu Jintao and says, “Hu, 63, has been moving allies to key positions to further consolidate his power base since taking over the top job in the military from Jiang Zemin, 79, last September and completing China’s first smooth generational leadership succession since the 1949 revolution.”
“Zhang cut his teeth in the China Youth League — Hu’s power base — from 1979 to 1986 when he served as section chief and later vice minister with a responsibility for young workers and farmers,” Reuters reported on November 27, 2005.
There was no report on the new position of Yang Chuantang, who had moved to the Tibet Autonomous Region from Qinghai as Party Secretary on December 14, 2004. Yang had taken over from Guo Jinlong, who took over as TAR Party Secretary in late 2000 from Chen Kuiyuan.
Following is a brief background on Zhang Qingli as provided by China Vitae, an online biographical database.
Born: 1951, Shandong Province, Dongping County
Zhang Qingli, male, Han nationality, is a native of Dongping, Shandong province. He was born in 1951, joined the CPC in 1973, and started to work in 1971. Zhang is an on-the-job university graduate of the Party School of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee. Zhang has held leading Party posts in Dongping county, Tai’an city, and Lanzhou city of Shandong province. Zhang is currently a member of the standing committee of the CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee, deputy secretary of the CPC Xinjiang Production and Construction Crops Committee and commander of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Crops.
Zhang Qingli is a member of the 16th CPC Central Committee.
Career Data
- 1971-1976 Worker, Fertilizer Plant, Shandong Province, Dongping County
- 1973 Joined, CPC
- 1976-1979 Member, CPC, County Committee, Standing Committee, Shandong Province, Dongping County
- 1976-1979 Deputy Secretary, CPC, County Committee, Shandong Province, Dongping County
- 1979-1986 Deputy Section Chief, CPC, CYLC, Youth Workers and Peasants Department, Shandong Province, Dongping County
- 1986 Graduate Student, CPC, Central Committee, Central Party School
- 1986-1993 Vice-Mayor, Shandong Province, Dongyi City
- 1988-1993 Deputy Secretary, CPC, City Committee, Shandong Province, Dongyi City
- 1993-1995 Mayor, Shandong Province, Dongyi City
- 1995-1997 Secretary, CPC, City Committee, Shandong Province, Tai’an City
- 1995-1997 Chairman, City People’s Congress, Shandong Province, Tai’an City
- 1997-1998 Deputy Director, CPC, Provincial Committee, Propaganda Department, Shandong Province
- 1998-1998 Deputy Secretary-General, CPC, Provincial Committee, Shandong Province
- 1998-1999 Member, CPC, Provincial Committee, Standing Committee, Gansu Province
- 1999-2004 Member, CPC, Autonomous Regional Committee, Standing Committee, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
- General Manager, Xinjian Group Company of China, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
- 2002- Member, 16th CPC, Central Committee
- 2003- Deputy, 10th NPC
- 2004- Deputy Secretary, CPC, Autonomous Regional Committee, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
- 2005- Vice-Chairman, Autonomous Region People’s Government, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region