In January 2002, he was appointed deputy director of the Policy Research Office of Guangdong Provincial CCP Committee.

[7][5][6] He became well known as party secretary in Shanwei when a protest by villagers in Wukan seeking compensation for land requisitioned by the government broke out in 2011.

[3] In July 2013, he was transferred back to Guangzhou and appointed executive vice director of Publicity Department of Guangdong Provincial Committee of the CCP.

[11] On 3 July 2020, he was appointed as the director of the newly established Office for Safeguarding National Security of the CPG in the HKSAR.

[12] In August 2020, Zheng and ten other officials were sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury under Executive Order 13936 by President Trump for undermining Hong Kong's autonomy.