Ethnic Han, born in June 1946, native of Shanghai Municipality. Joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in August 1965 and began working in September 1965. Graduated from the Political Economics Department of Renmin University of China where he had majored in political economics. With a postgraduate education and a master's degree in economics.

Member of the CPC Central Committee, State Councilor, member of the State Council's Leading Party Members' Group, secretary-general of the State Council (concurrently), and director of the office of the Leading Group under the State Council for Development of the Western Regions.

1965-1970 Teacher of Beijing No. 4 Middle School

1970-1973 Sent to do manual labor in the May 7th Cadre School of Xicheng District, Beijing

1973-1979 Teacher of Party School of the CPC Committee of Xicheng District, Beijing (Attended a class of the Party School of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee from 1978 to 1979)

1979-1982 Postgraduate at the Political Economics Department of Renmin University of China, majoring in political economics

1982-1983 Assistant research fellow of the Prices Research Institute of the National Bureau of Prices

1983-1984 Deputy director of the Planning Commission and concurrently deputy director of the Finance and Economy Office of Xicheng District, Beijing, and director of the district Planning Commission (March 1984)

1984-1985 Deputy head of Xicheng District, Beijing, and concurrently director of the district Planning Commission

1985-1986 Deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Office for Restructuring the Economy

1986-1988 Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Prices and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group

1988-1993 Deputy director of the National Bureau of Prices and member of its Leading Party Members' Group (Attended a class for provincial- and ministerial-level cadres at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee from September to November 1992)

1993-1995 Vice minister in charge of the National Commission for Restructuring the Economy and member of its Leading Party Members' Group

1995-1998 Vice minister in charge of the National Planning Commission and member of its Leading Party Members' Group (Attended a class for provincial- and ministerial-level cadres at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee from March to May 1997)

1998-2000 Deputy secretary-general of the State Council and member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Organs under the State Council

2000-2003 Deputy secretary-general of the State Council (in charge of routine work of the General Office of the State Council, ministerial level), and deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Organs under the State Council

2003-2008 Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group, director of the office of the Leading Group under the State Council for Development of the Western Regions (May 2003), and director of the office of the National Energy Leading Group (April 2005)

2008- State Councilor, member of the State Council's Leading Party Members' Group, secretary-general of the State Council, and director of the office of the Leading Group under the State Council for Development of the Western Regions

Elected member of CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection at the 15th CPC National Congress, and member of the 16th and 17th CPC Central Committees.