He was best known for his term as the Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary of Guangdong between 1991 and 1998, as a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, and as Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Xie, a Hakka, was born in Hekou Town, Lufeng County, Guangdong Province to Li Chun (1896-2009) [citation needed].
In 1955, he was appointed as a member of CCP's Lufeng County Standing Committee, and the director of its propaganda department.
His following appointments included fellow in office of policy research in CCP's central south bureau, vice director of political office in Guangdong Revolutionary Committee, vice director in department of politics in scientific and educational province Guangdong, and vice director of office of culture and education province Guangdong.
From March 1998, he became vice chairman of standing committee of National People's Congress as well as a politburo member.