ZHANG Xinsheng is a Chinese

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 politician

Politician

A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

. He's the current Vice-minister

Minister (government)

A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....

 of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China

Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China

The Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China , formerly Ministry of Education, Central People's Government from 1949 to 1954, State Education Commission from 1985 to 1998, is headquartered in Beijing. It is the agency of the State Council which regulates all aspects of the...

, and the Vice-president of the Chinese Olympic Committee

Chinese Olympic Committee

Chinese Olympic Committee represents the People's Republic of China in international affairs related to the Olympic Movement.-Timeline concerning Olympic recognition:...

.

Biography

Zhang was born in Shuyang County, Suqian, Jiangsu Province in November, 1948.

1974-1977, Zhang studied English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

 and literature

Literature

Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...

 at the Department of Foreign Languages of Hangzhou University

Hangzhou University

Since 1998, Hangzhou University has been a part of Zhejiang University....

 (previous and current Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University

Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...

). 1977-1979, he served as an official and translator (English-Chinese) in the Foreign Affairs Office of the Jiangsu Provincial Government.

1980-1982, Zhang studied at the University of Colorado, USA as a graduate student. 1982-1985, he was the Deputy Director of the Tourism Bureau of the Jiangsu Provincial Government. 1986-1989, he was the Deputy Director of the National Tourism Administration

China National Tourism Administration

The China National Tourism Administration is the Chinese government authority responsible for the development of tourism in the country. The CNTA is subordinate to the State Council. Its headquarters are in Beijing, with regional branches in various provinces...

, PRC

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

.

1989-1997, he served as the Mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of Suzhou City

Suzhou

Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...

. 1998-2000, he was a graduate student at the Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

 USA, and received a master's degree

Master's degree

A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...

 (major in city planning). 2001–present, he is the Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Education, PRC. 2004–present, he is the Vice-President of the Chinese Olympic Committee, Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

.

On 24 Oct 2005, Zhang became the Chairman of UNESCO

UNESCO

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

’s Executive Board

Board of directors

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...

. In 2007, Zhang was re-elected as the Vice-president of FISU (International University Sports Federation)

International University Sports Federation

The Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire , based in Brussels, Belgium is responsible for the organisation and governance of worldwide competitions for student-athletes between the ages of 17 and 28...

.

External links

• ChinaVitae - Zhang Xinsheng
• Zhang Xinsheng (China) elected Chairman of UNESCO’s Executive Board (including his brief biography)