During the Down to the Countryside Movement, he became a sent-down youth in March 1969, and soon joined the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in December 1970.

Beginning in April 1976, he served in several posts in Shanghai Chemical Import and Export Corporation, including clerk, deputy section chief, secretary of the Communist Youth League of China.

He was elevated to director of the Office of the Premier of the State Council [zh] in March 1998, concurrently serving as deputy director of the State Council Research Office since June 1998 and then deputy secretary of the Central Financial Work Commission since January 2003.

He was chosen as vice president of the China Banking Regulatory Commission in March 2003, a post he kept until October 2005, when he was named deputy director and deputy party secretary of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council.

In March 2008, he took office as chairperson of the Population, Resources and Environment Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.