In April 1978, Wang joined the People's Liberation Army and worked as a driver and document handler to support the construction of a coal mine in the town of Tiefa.

In August 1984, he joined the traffic police division of the department of public security in the city of Tieling, in Liaoning province.

[1] It was said that Wang was seen as unfit to serve since he did not have any schooling in policing, but was recommended to join the force on the advice of an official he had worked for at the coal mine construction project.

In June 1994, Wang was appointed deputy police commissioner in Tieling,[1] and was noted for his campaigns to crack down on corruption and criminal gangs.

Wang's successor as director of the Tieling public security department, Gu Fengjie, has reportedly been detained pending investigation on corruption charges.

In June 2008, Wang Lijun was appointed as the police chief of Chongqing and began serving as a right-hand man to Bo Xilai.

[6] Wang played a central role in the "strike-hard" campaigns in Chongqing, which saw 1,544 suspects arrested in what may have been the largest crackdown of its kind.

[7] Close to 6,000 people, amongst whom were wealthy businessmen, government advisers, crime bosses and senior police officers have been arrested in Wang's anti-crime campaigns since 2009.

[8] The South China Morning Post reported that local crime bosses had once placed a ¥6 million bounty on Wang's head.

[9] Wang's anecdotes appeared as anti-corruption and anti-crime propaganda in documentaries in print and television media and elsewhere; he played a leading role in many of the shows.

[10] Hailed as an anti-triad hero for busting crime in Liaoning, Wang's bravery in confronting gangs became subject of a television drama, Iron-Blooded Police Spirits（铁血警魂）.

In order to make a deal for himself with the commission, Wang may have sought leniency in exchange for information on corruption and embezzlement by Bo Xilai and/or his wife.

[4][failed verification] Overseas Chinese-language websites such as Boxun alleged that Wang brought evidence incriminating Bo Xilai to the meeting at the consulate.

The websites claimed Wang secretly sent the letter to his overseas friends prior to his unexpected leave, and he entered the U.S. Consulate in order to ask the latter to hold documents incriminating Bo.

[30] In September 2012, Wang was charged with and convicted of abuse of power, bribe taking, defection, and "bending the law for selfish ends."

He claims he was abducted, tortured on a "tiger bench" and shocked with electric batons, and that officials sought to charge him with "bribery, gun-running, pimping, usury and supporting illegal religious organizations".

[35][36] Prior to his arrest, Zhang wrote on his blog that a high-level Chongqing official, Zhui Zhengkuan, committed suicide in early March.

[33] On 7 March, Zhang was taken from his Beijing home by three officers, including Chongqing's deputy police chief, who had disguised themselves as maintenance workers.