Tan Yunkun was born in Yongtai County, Fujian Province, in January 1963. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in May 1985 and began his career in August 1986 after graduating from university. He holds a doctorate in management from Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University. After graduation, Tan worked at the Fujian Daily. He later served as an assistant researcher and secretary to provincial leaders in the General Office of the Fujian Provincial People's Government, as well as deputy director of the Fujian Provincial Government Office in Beijing. He then became director of the General Office of the Fujian Provincial Department of Agriculture, a position at the division level from February 1998.[2]
In May 2004, Tan was appointed deputy director and a member of the Party Leadership Group of the Fujian Provincial Department of Agriculture. Between September 2004 and July 2007, he pursued postgraduate studies in economic management at the Central Party School while continuing his official duties.[3][1]
In April 2008, Tan became Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary and deputy director of the Provincial Department of Agriculture. In September 2011, he was promoted to deputy secretary-general of the Fujian Provincial Government, concurrently serving as director and Party secretary of the General Office. From February 2009 to July 2012, he studied agricultural economic management at Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, where he earned a Doctorate in Management.[3]
In December 2013, Tan was appointed deputy Party secretary of Zhangzhou and acting mayor. The following month, he was confirmed as mayor of Zhangzhou and secretary of the municipal government's Party leadership group. In December 2016, he became Party Secretary of Zhangzhou.[4]
In January 2018, Tan was elected Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial People's Congress while concurrently serving as Zhangzhou Party Secretary and first secretary of the Zhangzhou Military Subdistrict Party Committee. In March 2019, he continued to serve as Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fujian Provincial People's Congress.[5]
Tan has been a delegate to the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, a member of the 9th and 10th Fujian Provincial Committees of the CCP, and a representative to the 10th Fujian Provincial Party Congress. He has also served as a deputy to the 13th and 14th Fujian Provincial People's Congresses.[6]