Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Republic of China. Engineer for formation, after covering several important charges in his country, between 1979 and 1983 he served as Vice-Minister and Minister of Power Industry, and Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the Ministry of Power Industry, and Vice-Minister and Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group of the Ministry of Water Resources and Power. He started to serve as Vice-Premier of the State Council in 1983, and took charge of Energy, Communication and Raw Materials Departments. Beginning in 1985, he served concurrently as Minister in charge of the State Education Commission. He is Premier since 1987 and he has always pledged for the modernization of China, through economic reconstruction and enhancing relationships and cooperation with other countries. Between 1988 and 1990, he served concurrently as Minister of the State commission for Economic Restructuring.