Wang Yanwen was born in April 1960 in Jinan, Shandong Province. She joined the Chinese Communist Party in May 1980 and began her career in March 1977. She holds a graduate degree from the Jiangsu Provincial Party School. Her early professional experience includes service in military hospitals of the People's Liberation Army from 1977 to 1981, followed by administrative roles in the 31st Research Institute of the Ministry of Electronics Industry. She studied at the Nanjing Municipal Party School between 1983 and 1985, and later worked in various positions in the 55th Research Institute, including Party Secretary and Youth League Secretary.[2][3]
From 1991, she held leadership positions in the Communist Youth League of Nanjing, eventually becoming its secretary. During this period, she also completed coursework in political economy at Nanjing University's International Business School and earned a degree in economic management from the Jiangsu Provincial Party School. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Wang served as county magistrate and later Party Secretary of Lishui County. In 2001, she was appointed to the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee and led the Publicity Department.[4]
Wang's provincial-level leadership began in 2004 when she became Deputy Party Secretary and later Mayor of Yangzhou, later rising to Party Secretary and Chairwoman of the Municipal People's Congress. In November 2011, she joined the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and from 2011 to 2020, she led both the Publicity and United Front Work Departments.[5] In 2020, she was appointed Vice Chairwoman and Deputy Party Secretary of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress. Since leaving provincial-level Party leadership, she has continued her involvement in public policy through organizations related to aging and civil society development.[6]
Wang was a delegate to the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, and served as a deputy to the 11th and 12th National People's Congress. She was also a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a delegate to both the 13th and 14th Jiangsu Provincial People's Congresses.[7]