The following is a biographical sketch of Zhou Yongkang, whose nomination as State Councillor was approved Monday at the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC):

Male, of Han nationality, born in December 1942, native of Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.

Joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in November 1964, began to work in September 1966. Graduated from the Survey and Exploration Department of Beijing Petroleum Institute, majoring in geophysical survey and exploration.

Holding the professional title as a senior engineer, equivalent to professor; commissioner-general.

1961-1966 Studied geophysical survey and exploration at the Survey and Exploration Department, Beijing Petroleum Institute

1966-1967 Stayed at the Institute waiting for job assignment

1967-1970 Intern, technician of the geological survey team of No. 673 Factory, Daqing Oilfield

1970-1973 Technician, Party branch secretary and brigade leader of the regional office, Geological Survey Regiment, Liaohe Oil Exploration Campaign Headquarters

1973-1976 Director, Geophysical Survey Division, Liaohe Oil Exploration Bureau (LOEB)

1976-1979 Deputy director, Political Department, LOEB

1979-1983 Deputy director-general of LOEB and concurrently Party secretary of LOEB Drilling Headquarters, Party secretary and commander of LOEB Geophysical Survey Headquarters

1983-1985 Director-general and deputy Party secretary of LOEB, Deputy Party secretary and mayor of Panjin City, Liaoning Province

1985-1988 Vice-minister of Petroleum Industry and member of the Ministry's Leading Party Members' Group

1988-1996 Deputy general manager and deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of China National Petroleum & Natural Gas Corporation (concurrently commander of Tarim Oil Exploration Campaign Headquarters and secretary of its ad hoc Party Committee from March 1989 to September 1990; and Party secretary and director-general of Shengli Petroleum Administration and Party secretary of Dongying, Shandong Province from August 1989 to June 1990)

1996-1998 General manager of China National Petroleum & Natural Gas Corporation and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group

1998-1999 Minister of Land and Recourses, Secretary of Leading Party Members' Group of the Ministry of Land and Resources

1999-2002 Secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee
2002-

Member of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, deputy secretary of the Committee of Political Science and Law under the CPC Central Committee, Minister of Public Security and Party secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, 1st political commissar and first secretary of the Party Committee of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force.

Alternate member of the 14th CPC Central Committee; member of the 15th and 16th CPC Central Committees; member of the Political Bureau and Secretariat of the 16th CPC Central Committee.

(xinhua)