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Chen Zhili

b. 1942

Chinese politician

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About Chen Zhili

Born 1942. Chen Zhili is a Chinese politician and physicist.

Chen Zhili (; born November 1942) is a retired senior Chinese politician who served as State Councilor and Minister of Education, and a Vice Chairwoman of the National People's Congress. She was also vice chairwoman of the organization commission of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Biography Born in Xianyou County, Fujian Province, Chen graduated from the department of physics at Fudan University. She pursued her postgraduate degree at Shanghai Institute of Ceramics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, doing research of solid-state physics. Chen joined the Chinese Communist Party ("CCP") in January 1961. At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, Chen was sent to work in an army farm for two years before returning to the Institute. In 1982, she was at Penn State University in the United States as a visiting scholar. After that, she was elevated to vice Party Chief of the Institute, and thus transformed from a scholar to a CCP official.

Chen's former posts in Shanghai included vice secretary and later, secretary of the CCP committee of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission, director of the Publicity Department of Shanghai, and vice secretary of CCP Shanghai committee. During her tenure in Shanghai, Jiang Zemin, Zhu Rongji, Wu Bangguo and Huang Ju served as Shanghai's Party chief.

In August 1997, Chen was transferred to central government and appointed as vice director and leader of Party group of National Education Commission. In 1998, she became the Minister of Education. In 2003, she was further elevated to the position of State Councilor, in charge of education, culture and sports. In March 2008, Chen was elected a Vice Chairperson of the National People's Congress. On April 12, 2008, she was appointed as governor of Beijing Olympic Village.

Chen was an alternate member of 13th and 14th Central Committees of the Chinese Communist Party, and a full member of 15th, 16th, 17th Central Committees.

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Important facts

Birth century
Education
Fudan University
Positions held
National People's Congress deputy, Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China
Awards
Silver Olympic Order

People in Chen Zhili's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Chen Zhili's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Chen Zhili?

Chinese politician

When was Chen Zhili born?

Chen Zhili was born on 21 November 1942 in Xianyou County.

What is Chen Zhili's occupation?

Chen Zhili is a politician and physicist.

What nationality is Chen Zhili?

Chen Zhili is Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Chen Zhili

· Wikidata: Q707900

· DBpedia: Chen Zhili

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Chen Zhili. https://biography.guide/chen-zhili/

MLA: "Chen Zhili." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/chen-zhili/.

Chicago: "Chen Zhili." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/chen-zhili/.

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