Biographies show that seven out of the 13 newly elected vice-chairpersons have postgraduate degrees or doctorates. Only five of the 15 vice-chairpersons of the 10th NPC Standing Committee had similar qualifications.

Moreover, only five of the 15 former vice-chairpersons had studied abroad, while seven of the 13 in the new leadership have done so.

For example, newly elected vice-chairwoman Chen Zhili was a visiting scholar at Pennsylvania State University in the United States from 1980 to 1982, and vice-chairman Jiang Shusheng has been a visiting scholar in both the United Kingdom and Italy.

Another five vice-chairpersons also have learning experience in the US, UK, Denmark or Germany.

(China Daily March 17, 2008)