Chen Zhili

Chen Zhili
Chen Zhili in 2009

Chen Zhili (simplified Chinese: 陈至立; traditional Chinese: 陳至立; pinyin: Chén Zhìlì; born November 1942[1]) is a senior female politician of the People's Republic of China, and the former State Councilor and Minister of Education of PRC. She currently serves as vice chairman of stading committee of 11th National People's Congress, vice chairman of organization commission of 29th Olympic Games, and the governor of Beijing Olympic Village.

Biography

Born in Xianyou County, Putian, Fujian Province, Chen graduated from department of physics at Fudan University, and pursued her postgraduate degree at Shanghai Institute of Ceramics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, doing research of solid-state physics. She joined the Communist Party of China ("CPC") in January 1961. At the beginning of Cultural Revolution, Chen was sent to work in an army farm for two years before returning to the Institute. In 1982, she was at Penn State University in the United States as a visiting scholar. After that, she was elevated to vice Party chief of the Institute, and thus transformed from a scholar to a CPC official.

Chen served long time in Shanghai. Her former posts included vice secretary and later, secretary of CPC committee of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, director of propaganda department of Shanghai, and vice secretary of CPC Shanghai committee. During her tenure in Shanghai, Jiang Zemin, Zhu Rongji, Wu Bangguo and Huang Ju served as Shanghai's Party chief.

In August 1997, Chen was transferred to central government and appointed as vice director and leader of Party group of National Eudcation Commission. In the next year, she became the newly formed Minister of Education. In 2003, she was further elevated to the State Councilor, in charge of education, culture and sports. In March 2008, Chen was elected vice chairman of standing committee of National People's Congress. On April 12, 2008, she was appointed as governor of Beijing Olympic Village.

Chen was an alternate member of 13th and 14th Central Committees of the Communist Party of China, and a full member of 15th and 16th Central Committees. She is a current member of 17th Central Committee of CPC.

References

  1. ^ [1]

External links

Government offices
Preceded by
Zhu Kaixuan
Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China
1998 –2003
Succeeded by
Zhou Ji