This served a preparation for the 2012 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships, where the 17-year-old was runner-up behind his older compatriot (and national record holder) Yang Yansheng.

[5] A debut on the IAAF Diamond League circuit came shortly after and he managed to finish seventh at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix meet.

He had an outright personal best at the Chinese Athletics Grand Prix meeting in his home province in Zibo, winning with a mark of 5.50 m (18 ft 1⁄2 in).

He won the national junior title for a third time running, but failed to record a height at the 2013 World Championships in Athletics – his senior global debut.

[9] Zhang maintained his form into the following season and built upon his 2012 junior regional title with a senior gold medal at the 2015 Asian Athletics Championships in Wuhan, matching his best to see off a challenge from Japan's Seito Yamamoto.