Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Dejiang was elected secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China on May 22 at the end of the committee's five-day congress.

Zhang, born in November 1946, is a native of Tai'an, Liaoning province. He has been a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee since 2002 and served as a vice-premier since 2008.

Zhang replaced Bo Xilai to become Chongqing's top official in March after Bo became involved in serious disciplinary violations. Bo's membership of the CPC's Central Committee and its Political Bureau has been suspended. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection has filed his case for investigation.

Zhang worked as an educated youth sent to the countryside at Taiping Brigade, Luozigou Commune, Wangqing county, Jilin province from 1968 to 1970.

From 1972 to 1975, Zhang studied at Yanbian University majoring in the Korean language. He also studied at the Department of Economics of Kim Il-sung University of the DPRK from 1978 to 1980.

From 1986 to 1990, Zhang served as Vice-Minister of civil affairs and Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of the Ministry

Zhang served concurrently as the Deputy Secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee and the Secretary of the CPC Committee of Yanbian prefecture from 1990 to 1995.

He used to be the Secretary of the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee (1995-1998), Secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee (1998-2002) and Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee (2002-2007).

Since 2007, Zhang has been a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and was appointed as Vice-Premier of the State Council in 2008.

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