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

Male, a Tibetan, born in 1938 in Biru County, Tibet Autonomous Region.
Studied at the Central Cadres School of Political Sciences and Law in 1959-1962; joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1961.

Served as a secretary of the CPC Nagqu Prefecture Committee in Tibet in 1972-1975; secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee in 1977-1985; vice-chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Revolutionary Committee in 1977-1979; vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Tibet Autonomous Regional People's Congress in 1979-1983; deputy secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee in 1985-1995; chairman of the 4th and 5th Tibet Autonomous Regional Committees of the Chinese People 's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in 1986-1993; secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee for Discipline Inspection in 1979-1985; deputy secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee and chairman of the regional CPPCC Committee in 1985-1993; deputy secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee in 1993- 1994; deputy secretary of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee since 1994.

Alternate member of the 11th CPC Central Committee; and member of the 12th through 16th CPC Central Committees.