In 1937, after the outbreak of Second Sino-Japanese War, Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese army, he retreated to Wuhan, capital of Hubei province.

In January 1940, he was Communist Party Secretary of Jinpuludong province, and concurrently served as director of Political Department of Fifth detachment of the New Fourth Army.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, he was appointed as Vice-Mayor and Deputy Communist Party Secretary of Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province.

Zhang was elected a Standing Committee of the Central Advisory Commission at the 13th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.

Zhang Mao, who is married to the daughter of the former Vice Premier Gu Mu, serves as Minister of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.