Zhang Dejiang is elected chairman of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee at the fourth plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th NPC in Beijing, capital of China, March 14, 2013. Photo: Xinhua" src="http://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2011/3aa4d975-40d2-4b7d-92cd-3ce7d8de5c69.jpeg">

The following is the biographical sketch of Zhang Dejiang:

Zhang Dejiang, born in November 1946, is a male ethnic Han from Tai'an, Liaoning Province. He entered the workforce in November 1968 and joined the Communist Party of China in January 1971. He graduated from the Department of Economics at Kim Il Sung University in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and has a university education.

He is currently a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

1968-1970 Educated youth, Taiping Brigade, Luozigou Commune, Wangqing County, Jilin Province

1970-1972 Administrative secretary, Publicity Group; and secretary, CYL Branch; of the Wangqing County Revolutionary Committee, Jilin Province

1972-1975 Student of Korean language, Department of Korean Language, Yanbian University

1975-1978 Deputy secretary, General Party Branch, Department of Korean Language; member, Standing Committee, Party Committee; and vice chairman, Revolutionary Committee; of Yanbian University

1978-1980 Student, Department of Economics; and secretary, Party Branch of Chinese Students; of Kim Il Sung University, DPRK

1980-1983 Member, Standing Committee, Party Committee; and vice president; of Yanbian University

1983-1985 Deputy secretary, CPC Yanji Municipal Committee; member, Standing Committee, CPC Yanbian Prefectural Committee; and concurrently deputy secretary, CPC Yanji Municipal Committee; of Jilin Province

1985-1986 Deputy secretary, CPC Yanbian Prefectural Committee, Jilin Province

1986-1990 Vice minister; and deputy secretary, Leading Party Members' Group; of the Ministry of Civil Affairs

1990-1995 Deputy secretary, CPC Jilin Provincial Committee; secretary, CPC Yanbian Prefectural Committee

1995-1998 Secretary, CPC Jilin Provincial Committee; chairman, Standing Committee, Jilin Provincial People's Congress

1998-2002 Secretary, CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee

2002-2007 Member, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; secretary, CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee

2007-2008 Member, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee

2008-2012 Member, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; vice premier; member, Leading Party Members' Group; of the State Council

2012-2012 Member, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; vice premier; member, Leading Party Members' Group; of the State Council and concurrently secretary, CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee

2012-2013 Member, Standing Committee, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; vice premier; and member, Leading Party Members' Group; of the State Council

2013- Member, Standing Committee, Political Bureau, CPC Central Committee; chairman of the Standing Committee of 12th NPC

Alternate member, Fourteenth CPC Central Committee; member, Fifteenth through Eighteenth CPC Central Committees; member, Political Bureau, Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees; member, Political Bureau and its Standing Committee, Eighteenth CPC Central Committee; chairman of the Standing Committee of 12th NPC.