Zhang Yannong

Zhang spent his early years in Yueyang, Hunan Province, and attended Beijing 101 Middle School for his secondary education. He enlisted in the People's Liberation Army in 1968 and transferred to civilian work in 1987, joining the Research Office of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.^[2]

In 1992, Zhang moved to the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, where he successively served as deputy director of the Research Office and deputy secretary-general. In 1996, he was appointed member of the editorial board and director of the Theory Department of the People’s Daily. Two years later, in 1998, he became deputy editor-in-chief of the newspaper.^[3]

In February 2003, Zhang was promoted to editor-in-chief of the People's Daily, and in March 2008, he became the newspaper's president. In November 2016, he was appointed president of the All-China Journalists Association.^[4][5]