Yao was born in July 1956 in Huxian (now part of Xi'an), Shaanxi Province. He joined the workforce in March 1977 and became a member of the Chinese Communist Party in January 1975. He received a full-time undergraduate education in materials science and engineering at Xi'an Jiaotong University from February 1978 to January 1982, earning a Bachelor of Engineering degree. He later completed in-service postgraduate studies and obtained a Doctor of Management degree. He also held the academic rank of professor.[2]
After graduation, Yao remained at Xi'an Jiaotong University as a lecturer in the Department of Materials Science, specializing in metallurgy and heat treatment of metals. In April 1989, he entered local government service in Tongchuan, Shaanxi, where he served as deputy Party secretary and deputy district head of the urban district.[3]
In the early 1990s, Yao worked in the administrative committee of the Xi'an High-tech Industries Development Zone, holding several posts related to personnel management, technology trade, and enterprise administration. He later served as deputy director of the zone’s administrative committee and concurrently as deputy general manager of Xi'an Gaoke (Group) Company.[4]
In March 1996, Yao was appointed director and Party secretary of the Xi'an Municipal Science and Technology Commission. He became vice mayor of Xi'an in April 2002. In January 2003, he was transferred to Baoji, where he successively served as deputy Party secretary, mayor, and later Party secretary of the city, concurrently serving as chairman of the Standing Committee of the Baoji Municipal People's Congress.[5]
In January 2008, Yao was appointed vice governor of Shaanxi. In October 2008, he concurrently served as director of the Administrative Committee of the Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Industries Demonstration Zone. In April 2011, he was promoted to member of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and served concurrently as Party secretary of Yan'an.[6]
From June 2015 to December 2016, Yao served as deputy Party secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Government and Executive Vice Governor of Shaanxi. In December 2016, he was appointed deputy Party secretary of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress, and in January 2017 he became vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress, serving until January 2018.[7]
From April 2019 to May 2023, Yao served as chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Decision-making Advisory Committee. Yao was a delegate to the 17th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and the 18th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, and served as an alternate member of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. He was also a deputy to the 12th and 13th Shaanxi Provincial People's Congress.[8]