Zhang Baojuan

Zhang Baojuan was born in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province in September 1967. From 1986 to 1990, she studied Chinese Language and Literature at the Department of Chinese, Soochow University. Upon graduation, she began her political career at the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Civil Affairs, where she held a variety of personnel roles over the years.^[2]

Between 1990 and 2005, she rose through the ranks in the department's personnel and education divisions, ultimately becoming Deputy Division Chief. From 2005 to 2009, she served as Director of the Department's Minimum Living Security Division. During this time, she was also assigned to work in poverty alleviation as Deputy Party Secretary of Sihong County between 2006 and 2008. In parallel, she pursued a Master of Public Administration at Nanjing University.^[3][4]

In 2009, she became Director of the Department’s Personnel Education and Social Work Division. The following year, she was promoted to Deputy Director and Party Group Member of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Civil Affairs. In May 2012, Zhang was transferred to the municipal government of Yangzhou, where she served as Vice Mayor.^[5] From 2015 to 2016, she served as a Standing Committee member of the Yangzhou Municipal Committee and Head of the Organization Department, concurrently acting as Head of the United Front Work Department in early 2016.^[3]

In 2017, she became Deputy Party Secretary of Yangzhou, continuing to oversee United Front work.^[6] In October 2018, she was appointed Director and Party Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Veterans Affairs.^[7] Zhang returned to Yangzhou in late 2019, first as Acting Mayor and then as Mayor from January 2020. In July 2021, she was promoted to Party Secretary of Yangzhou and concurrently served as Mayor for a short period. She continued as Party Secretary until January 2023.^[8][9]

In January 2023, Zhang was appointed Vice Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress and became a member of its Party group in March 2023.^[10]