Wang Huning elected chairman of China's top political advisory body

BEIJING - Wang Huning was elected chairman of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, on Friday.

Wang was elected at the third plenary meeting of the first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee by over 2,100 political advisors.

Wang was born in 1955 in east China's Shandong Province. He began his first job in February 1977 and joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in April 1984. He graduated from the Department of International Politics, Fudan University, where he completed a graduate program in international politics and was awarded a Master of Laws degree. He holds a professional title of professor.

Wang is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Deepening Reform.

Altogether 23 vice chairpersons and 299 standing committee members of the 14th CPPCC National Committee were also elected at the plenary meeting. Wang Dongfeng was elected secretary-general of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.

The newly elected chairman and vice chairpersons of the top political advisory body are aged 65.3 on average. Among the vice chairpersons, 12 are not CPC members. Four are from ethnic minority groups and four are women.

The standing committee members are aged 60.8 on average, about 65 percent of whom are not CPC members. Thirty-two are from ethnic minority groups, and 48 are women.

The CPPCC serves as an important mechanism for multiparty cooperation and political consultation led by the CPC.

The first session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee opened on March 4 and will conclude Saturday.