During the Cultural Revolution, Wang worked in Fusong County, Jilin performing manual labour as a sent-down youth.

In 1975, he was recommended to partake in cadre training courses held by the Communist Party, and was then sent to work for the provincial administration of forestry and agriculture.

In 2001 Wang was promoted to executive vice governor of Jilin province, and became the party secretary of the provincial capital Changchun in 2004.

[1] In Shanxi, Wang was known as an effective enforcer of the party's regulations, and worked to fill posts vacated by officials dismissed as part of a widespread anti-corruption campaign.

In addition, having won praise for his anti-corruption efforts in Shanxi, many observers believed Wang was destined for higher office.

[2] On July 2, 2016, Wang was appointed as vice chair of the National People's Congress Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.