Lin Yi was born in September 1966 in Jieyang, Guangdong, China. She is of Han ethnicity. She joined the Chinese Communist Party in May 1999 and began her professional career in August 1989. She graduated from the Department of English Language and Literature at Peking University, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in literature.[2]
After completing her studies, Lin began working at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), where she served in the Department of Asian and African Affairs. From 1989 to 1997, she worked as a cadre in the department. She was subsequently promoted to deputy director and later director of the Fourth Division within the department from 1997 to 2005. Between 2005 and 2011, she served as deputy director and then director of the Department of Asian and African Affairs.[3]
In 2011, Lin was appointed Secretary-General of the CPAFFC. From 2013 to 2015, she was seconded to Tianjin where she served as Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Tianjin Municipal Government and concurrently as Vice President of the Tianjin People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.[3][4]
She returned to the CPAFFC in 2015 and served as Vice President until 2022. In 2022, she was appointed Vice Chairperson, Secretary of the Secretariat, and member of the Leading Party Members Group of the All-China Women's Federation. In 2023, she additionally became a Vice Chairperson (concurrently) of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions.[3]