Wang Yang elected chairman of China's top political advisory body

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Wang Yang was elected chairman of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, in Beijing on Wednesday.

He was elected at the fourth plenary meeting of the first session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee.

The first session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) holds its fourth plenary meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, March 14, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

Since 2013, Wang has served as Vice Premier of the State Council and Head of the State Council Leading Group of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

He was elected as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2017, and three months later became a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Born in 1955 in east China's Anhui Province, Wang joined the CPC when he was 20. The 63-year-old had served as the Secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee for roughly two years, starting in 2005.

In 2007, he became a member of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Bureau. A few months later in the same year, he was appointed as the Secretary of the CPC Guangdong Provincial Committee.

Wang presided over the opening meeting of the first session of the 13th CPPCC National Committee at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 3, 2018. He is the only CPC Standing Committee Member in the 13th CPPCC National Committee.

Read more: Wang Yang becomes member of China's top political advisory body

As the Head of the State Council Leading Group of Poverty Alleviation and Development, Wang demanded improved measures to win the "tough battle" of targeted poverty alleviation during a national meeting on poverty reduction and development.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang speaks at the national meeting on poverty reduction and development in Beijing. /Xinhua Photo

He said 2018 is a key year for fighting the battle against poverty, urging the thorough implementation of President Xi Jinping's poverty alleviation and development strategy in the country’s poor regions.

Read more: Chinese vice premier demands improved measures to eradicate poverty

Besides for this, Wang has played an important role in promoting trade with the United States.

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and China's Vice Premier Wang Yang attend the China-US Comprehensive Economic Dialogue to discuss bilateral economic and trade issues in Washington, DC, July 19, 2017. /VCG Photo

He co-chaired the first China-US Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in Washington in July 2017, with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. The discussion is one of the four major dialogue mechanisms proposed during April's meeting between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago summit. Wang pointed out that cooperation between the two countries is the only choice.

Read more: China-US economic talks end in Washington

Wang graduated from the Party School of the CPC Central Committee and holds a Master's degree in engineering.

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