The following is a biographical sketch of Cheng Siwei, who was just elected vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC):

Male, of Han nationality, born in 1935, native to Xiangxiang, Hunan Province, a professor class senior engineer.

Studied at the South China University, Guangzhou City, in 1951- 52, and at the South China Institute of Engineering in 1952-56;

Served successively as a technician of the Shenyang Institute of Chemical Engineering in 1956-58; technician at the North China Designing Institute of the Ministry of Chemical Industry and the Tianjin Institute of Chemical Engineering in 1958-73, a technician at the Institute of Petrochemical Engineering of the Ministry of Chemical Industry, and an engineer of the Inorganic Chemicals Department of the Ministry of Chemical Industry in 1973-1981.

Studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, with an MBA in 1981-1984.

Served as a senior engineer and chief engineer of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Chemical Industry in 1984-88; vice-president and chief engineer of the Scientific Research Institute of the Ministry of Chemical Industry in 1988-93; deputy chief engineer of the Ministry of Chemical Industry in 1993- 1994; and vice-minister of Chemical Industry in 1994-1997;

Chairman of the China Democratic and National Construction Association Central Committees in 1996-1998.

Member of the 6th and 7th National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC);

Deputy to the 9th NPC; vice-chairman of the 9th NPC Standing Committee in 1998-2003.

(xinhua)