He moved up the ranks to become factory deputy director in September 1979 and general manager of Chongqing Iron and Steel Group Corporation in December 1982.
[2] He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in November 1973, and got involved in politics in January 1985, when he was appointed deputy director of Sichuan Provincial Economic Commission, and three months later was promoted to the director position.
In September 1996, he was named acting mayor of Chongqing, confirmed in June 1997.
He was director and CCP Committee Secretary of the State Bureau of Metallurgical Industry in June 1996, and held that office until February 2001.
[3] In March 2008, he took office as vice chairperson of the National People's Congress Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.