Zhang Shaoqin

Zhang Shaoqin began his career in 1972 as a worker in the surveying and design team of the Yuncheng Highway Section in Shanxi Province.^[3] He studied engineering machinery at Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Institute from 1974 to 1977 and subsequently became a lecturer there until 1985, during which he was a visiting scholar at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology from 1983 to 1985. He served as director of the mechanics laboratory at Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Institute from 1985 to 1987.^[4] He earned a doctoral degree in composite materials from Auburn University in the United States (1987–1989) and conducted postdoctoral research at Ohio State University from 1989 to 1990.^[5]

Zhang then worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology of Singapore as chief researcher, chief engineer, and deputy director of the Composite Materials Research Center from 1990 to 1997. Returning to China, he served in leadership roles at Taiyuan Heavy Machinery Institute, including assistant president, department director, and eventually president from 2000 to 2003.^[6]

Entering public service, Zhang served as Vice Governor of Shanxi Province (2003–2008) and held leadership roles in the China National Democratic Construction Association at both the provincial and national levels.^[7] From 2008 to 2013, he was Deputy Secretary-General of the National People's Congress Standing Committee and full-time vice chairman of the CDNCA. He concurrently held the position of vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions from 2013 to 2023. Between 2014 and 2023, Zhang also served as a member of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress, vice chairman of the Overseas Chinese Committee, and deputy chairman of the Committee for the Qualification Review of Deputies to the National People's Congress.^[8][9]