Gao Dezheng

Gao Dezheng (; July 1933 – July 2, 2021) was a Chinese politician who served in senior leadership positions in Jiangsu Province, including Vice Governor of Jiangsu, Party Secretary of Suzhou, and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress. He was a representative to the 13th and 14th National Congresses of the Chinese Communist Party.

Biography

Gao Dezheng was born in July 1933 in Jiangyin County (now Jiangyin City), Jiangsu Province, China. He began working in June 1951 and joined the Chinese Communist Party in August 1952. He received a junior college-level education. He began his early career in local administrative and Party work in Jiangsu Province. By the early 1980s, he had risen through municipal leadership positions, serving successively as Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Huaiyin, Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Zhenjiang, and later as Party Secretary of Suzhou. In these roles, he was involved in regional economic administration and urban development during the early stages of China's reform and opening-up period.

In June 1989, Gao was appointed Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province and Deputy Secretary of the provincial government Party leadership group. He later became a member of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Standing Committee while continuing to serve as Vice Governor. During this period, he also served as Deputy Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Commission, participating in provincial governance and legal institutional development.

In April 1993, Gao was appointed Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial People's Congress while also serving as a member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee. In January 1994, he continued to serve as Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee and Deputy Party Group Secretary of the legislature. His funeral and farewell ceremony were held in Suzhou on July 4, 2021.