He was educated at the Sheshan Seminar at Shanghai, and was ordained a priest in 1989 by Haima's government-approved Bishop Matthew Yu Chengcai (1917–2006).

He was one of the five priests made bishops at Nantang Church in Beijing on 6 January 2000, without a papal mandate.

Xinping became Archbishop of Nanjing on 20 April 2005, succeeding Yuanren.

In 2007, he contacted the Holy See to ask for forgiveness and was recognized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

Xinping was elected a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.