Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Ministers of the
Peoples
Republic of China/ Zhongia Renmín Gogheguoa
(Female Suffrage in the Kwangtung Province 1911, Universal suffrage 1947) An
ancient Empire became a republic 1912 and a communist People’s Republic 1947
See
also China_Heads_of_State
and China
Parliament
1927-29
Member of Government Council Song Qingling
1949-54 Deputy Premier Minister
1954-76 Vice-Chairperson of The Peoples' Republic (Deputy Head of State)
1968-74 Co-Acting Head of State (31.10-24.2).
(1976-78 Acting Head of State, Provisoric Chairperson of the Permanent Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress (6.8.76-4.3.78))
1979-81(†) Honorary President of China (16.5.79-29.5.81)
1980 Chairperson of the 3rd Session of the National People’s Congress
From 1929-49 Leader of Opposition against her brother-in-Law President
Chiang Kai-chek and 1948 Honorary Chairperson of the Kumingtang, 1954-59 and
1975-78 Vice-Chairperson of the National People’s Congress, 1954-59
Vice-Chairperson of China People’s Consultative Consultative Conference, CPPCC,
1968-74 the Post of Chair of the Republic was vacant and she and the other
Vice-Chairperson, Dong Biw shared the Presidential Powers. Soong Qingling
was widow of Sun Yat-Sen, Provisoric President of China in 1911. Her
sister Soong May-ling (b. 1897) played a crucial role as wife of Chiang
Kai-chek, President of China till 1945 and of Taiwan 1945-75.
Her brother T.
V. Soong was Premier Minister in Taiwan,
and a third sister was a business magnate.
She lived (1893-1981)
1928
Member of the Central Government Council He Xianging
1949-65 Minister and Commissioner for Oversea Chinese (Taiwan)
Between 1927-41 Member of the Executive Committee and 1956-66 Vice-Chairperson
of the Revolutionary Committee of Kuomintang, 1949-59 Member of the Presidium
and 1959 Vice-Chairperson of The National People's Congress, 1954
Vice-Chairperson of CPPCC. (Born in Hong Kong 1878-1972)
1938
Commissioner of the Economics' Committee of the Nationalist Government
Feng Yunhe
1949-54 Minister of Textile Industry
1982 Minister of Textile Industry
She disappeared 1988. She lived (1898-?1988)
1939-40
Member of the Political Council of the Nationalist Government Deng Yingchan
1978 Member of the Politburo
1980 Chairperson of a Session of the National People’s Congress
1982-85 Member of the Politburo
1983-86 Chairperson of the China People’s Political Consultative Congress
1986-92 Member of the Group of "Immortals" (Paramount Leaders)
Involved the Communist Party from 1919. In the period 1996-78 there was no Chairperson of the NPC and she was one
of the 21 vice-chairmen who constituted the collective Head of State. Other
sources name Song Qingling as Provisoric Chairperson. Married
to Premier Zhou Enlai. She lived (1898-1992)
1940
Member of Presidium of People’s Provincial Council of the Nationalist
Government
Wu Yifang
1947-48 Member of the National Council of the Nationalist Government
In 1946 Member of the National Assembly for Drafting the Constitution, 1955-58
Director of the Department of Jiangsu, 1956-66 and 1979-83 Vice-Governor,
1981-83 Vice-Chairperson of the provincial CPPCC of the State. She lived
(1893-1983)
1945-49
Member of the People's Government Council Cai Chang
1949-54 Deputy Leader of the Executive and Legislative Power in the Council of
Minister
From 1928-77 Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China,
1975-79 Vice-President of the National People's Congress and
In 1980-81 Permanent Chairperson of the third Session of the 5th. NPC. She lived (1900-90)
1949-55
Minister of Justice and Member of the Executive Council Shi Liang
Between 1953-79 Vice-Chairperson and 1979-85 Member of the Presidium of
the National Peoples' Congress,1978-87 Vice-Chairperson of Chinese
Peoples' Political Consultative Conference, 1979-85 Chairperson of China
Democratic League Party, and
1985 Chairperson of the 3rd Session of the National Peoples' Congress. She lived (1900-85)
1949-65
Minister of Health Lie Te'ch'üan/Li Dequan
Fourth generation of a Christian Family, Circa 1920-24 Pastor’s Assistant in a
Congregational Church in Beijing, 1950-65 President of China Red Cross Society.
Also sometime Vice-Chairperson of the NDC. She lived (1895-1972)
1949-87
Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Zhang Ming
1949-54
Vice-Secretary General of the Government Administration Council Xu Guangping
She lived (1907-68)
1950-54
Member of Executive Council Luo (Hu) Shuzhang
1954-57 Vice-Minister of Labour
1957-58 Vice-Minister of Food Industry
1958-65 Vice-Minister of Light Industry
1965 Vice-Minister of Light Industry
In 1954 Deputy Secretary General of the CPPCC and 1965 Deputy Secretary General
of the NPC. She lived (1899-1992)
1951-54
Vice-Chairperson of the People’s Control Committee of the Government
Administrative Committee
Qian Ying
1954-59 Minister of People’s Supervision
1959-60 Minister of Interior
She lived (1903-73)
1952-64
Vice-Minister of Water Protection Qian Zhengying
1958-64 Vice-Minister of Electric Power
1975-89 Minister of Water Protection
1982-89 Minister of Electric Power
1988-98 Minister of Water Resources and Electricity
(b. 1923-)
1955-58
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Ying
In 1958 Director of the Department of the Ministry, 1992 Member of
the Presidium of the Congress of the Communist Party of China. Married to
Zhang Wention, former Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador etc. (b.
1905-?)
1955-57
Assistant Minister of Light Industry Xia Zhixu
1957-58 Assistant Minister of Food Industry
1960-64 Vice-minister of Light Industry
1964-71 1. Vice-minister of Light Industry
1971-79 Vice-minister of Light Industry
She lived (1906-87)
1958-58
1. Minister of Machine Building Cheng Li
From 1985-92 Vice-Chairperson of the People’s Communist Party of Guandong, she
disappeared in 1992. (b. 1924-?)
1958-63
Vice-Minister of Light Industry Deng Jie
1962-93 Acting Minister of Light Industry
1963-65 Vice-Minister of Petroleum Industry
1965-66 Vice-Minister, 2. Minister of Light Industry
She disappeared in 1967.
1964-73
Minister of Public Health Liu Xiangping
Married to Xie Fuzhi (1908-72) a military person and minister, she disappeared
in 1976.
1966-76
Deputy Director of the Cultural Revolutionary Authority Jiang Qing
1969-76 Member of the Politburo
1972-76 De-facto leader of China as Head of
"The Gang of Four"
Married to Mao Zedong, and the de-facto leader of the Cultural Revolution. She lost the struggle for Mao's succession, committed suicide
in prison. She lived (1914-91)
1966
Vice-minister for the Commission for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries
1981-82 Vice-minister of Public Health Yung Chun
Vice-President of the Commission for Cultural Relations with Foreign
Countries in 1966 and 1978-88 Vice-President of the China Red Cross Society.
1969-71
Member of the Politburo Ye Qin
Deputy Chief of the People’s Liberation Army Cultural Revolutionary Group, she
disappeared in 1971. (b. 1920-?)
1971-82
Vice-Minister of Economic Relations with Foreign Countries
Chen Muhua
1977-82 Minister of External Trade
1978-82 Vice-Premier Minister
1981-82 Minister of Family Planning
1982-88 Minister of External Trade and of Economic Relations with Foreign
Countries
1988-93 State Councillor
Between 1988-98 Vice-Chairperson of the National Peoples' Congress (NPC) and in
1988 Executive Chairperson of the 1st session of the 7th NPC, Former
Chairperson of the People's Bank of China, The Central Bank.
She lived
(1921-2011).
1972-74
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Haijung/ Hairong
1974-81 Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs
Deputy Director of the Office of the Advisor of the Council of State, she was
the nice of Chairperson Mao Zedong.
1973-79
Vice-Minister of Machine Building Liu Ang
1979 Vice-Minister of Agricultural Machinery
Deputy Director of the Premier Minister’s Secretariat
1960-66, and
disappeared 1979.
1973-76
Minister of Health Kiu Hsiang-Ding
1973-77
Vice-Minister of Planning Gu Xiuliam
1977-82 Minister of Economic Relations with Foreign Countries
1989-98 Minister of Chemical Industry
Governor of Jiangsu 1983-89.
1973-77
Member of the Politburo Wu Guixiam
1975-77 Vice-Premier Minister
Between 1971-73 Deputy Secretary, 1973-76 Secretary of the Communist Party of
Shaanxi, she disappeared in 1977. (b. 1937-?)
1975-82
Vice-Minister of Post and Telecommunication Luo Shuzen
1975-77
Vice-Minister of Petroleum and Chemical Industry Tao Tao
1978-82 Vice-Minister of Chemical Industry
1977-1981
Vice-minister of Textile Industry Hao Jianxiu
1981-1982 Minister of Textile Industry
1982-98
Vice-Minister of the State Planning Commission
1998-2001 Vice-Minister of the State Development Planning Commission
Member of the Standing Committee of the
9th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
in 2001-2002 and from 2003
Vice-Chairperson of the CPPCC. (b. 1935-)
1978
Minister of Education Jin Guixiang
She disappeared in 1981.
1978-81
Vice-Minister of Chemical Industry Hao Gianxin
1982-83 Minister of Textile Industry
1987-98 Vice-Minister of The State Planning Committee
1979-82
Vice-Minister of Communication Zheng Zhi
1979-85
Vice-Minister of Education Yang Yunyen
1982-83
Minister of Atomic Energy Zhang Chen
1988-93 Deputy Director General of The Council of State
1982(-87)
Minister of Health Li Bing
She disappeared 1988.
1982-circa
1996 Vice-Minister of Communication Zheng Guangdi
1982-86
Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Yan Chen
1982-85
Vice-Minister of Education Peng Peiyng
1985-88 Vice-Minister of Economy
1988-98 Minister of Family Planning
1993-98 State Councillor
Since 1998 Vice-Chairperson of the 9th NPC. (b. 1929-)
1983-93
Minister of Textile Industry Wu Weniging
Since 1993 Chairperson of the Textile Union in the Council of State
1983-ca.96
Vice-Minister of Military Technology and Science Nie Li
1988- Secretary General of the Committee for Military Technology (Major General)
She was the second female general in the People’s Liberation Army. The first
was Li Zhen (1907-90) who was made a major-general in 1964 after a long army
career.
1984-90
Vice-Minister of Chemical Industry Wang Min
(b. 1929-)
1984-90
Vice-Minister of Economy Yan Ying
1984-86
Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Zhong Ming
1985-87
Member of the Politburo Hao Jianxiu
1985-98
Vice-Minister of Science and Technology Zhu Lilan
1998-2001 Minister of Science and Technology
1985-93
Vice-Minister of Physical Culture and Sport Zhang Cai
1985-96
Vice-Minister of Family Planning Peng Yu
1996-2005 Vice-minister of Health
1985-2005
Vice-Minister of Family Planning Zhang Ming
1985-87
Member of the Politburo Hao Hiangxu
1986-93
Vice-Minister of External Trade and Economic Relations Li Lanqing
1986-93
Vice-Minister of Nationality Questions Chen Xin
1986-ca.96
Vice-Minister of National Health He Jiesheng
1988-94
Vice-Minister of Family Planning Wu Jingchun
1988-94
Assistant Minister of External Trade and Economic Relations Zhou Xiaochuan
1990-94
Vice-Minister of Light Industry Pan Belei
1991-2004
Vice-Minister of Science and Technology Deng Nan
Daughter of Deng Xiao-Peng together with her sister Deng Xiao Rong his Secretary
and spokesperson. Rumored to be
very influential or even de-facto leader behind-the-scene until he died in 1998.
1991-94
Assistant Minister of External Trade and Economic Relations
1994-98 Vice-Minister of External Trade and Economic Relations Li Guohua
1991-92
Vice-Minister of External Trade and Economic Cooperation Wu Yi
1993-98
Minister of External Trade and Economic Cooperation
1997-2002 Alternate Member of the Politburo
1998-99 State Councillor
1999-2003 State Councillor responsible for Foreign Trade Business
2002-07 Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party Central Committee
2003-08 Vice-Premier Minister
She worked in the Petrochemical Industry and in the Ministry of Industry before becoming
Vice-Mayor of Beijing in Charge of Foreign Trade and Industrial
Development 1988-91. The post of State Councillor ranks just below the
Vice-Premiers. From 2007 there were no women in the Politburo. (b. 1938-).
1991-98 Vice-Minister of in United Front Work Department in the Communist Party
Central Committe
1998-2001 Vice-Minister of United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee
(Rank of Minister)
2000 Minister of United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee Liu
Yandong
1993-2004
Vice-Minister of Education Wei Yu
1993-ca.98
Vice-Minister of Electro-Industry Qu Weizhi
1993-circa
98 Vice-Minister of Water Resources He Jing
1993-circa
2003
Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Yang Yanyin
1994-98
Vice-Minister of Labour Wang Jianhu
1998-circa 2003 Vice-Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
1997-98
Vice-Minister of the State Education Commission Chen Zhili
1998-2003 Minister Education
2003-08 State Councillor
Vice-Chairperson of the National People's Congress from 2008.
1996-2005
Vice-Minister of Land and Natural Resources Shou Jiahau
1997-> Vice-Minister of Culture Meng Xiaosi
1998-2003 Vice-Minister of Justice Liu Yang
1998-2003 Assistant Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Xiuhong
Ma
1999-2006 Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zhang Qiyue
She was Director General of The Information
Department
2000- Vice-Minister of Health She Jing
2001-05 Vice-Minister of Justice Hu Zejun
2001-> Vice Minister of the State Population and Family Planning Commission Pan Guiyu
2001-> Vice Minister of the State Population and Family Planning Commission Zhao Baige
Circa 2001-06
Vice Minister of the State Family Planning Commission
Zhang Yuqin
2001- Vice-Minister of Education Wu Qidi
2001-05 Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs Jiang Li
2001- Vice-Minister of Construction Fu Wenjuan
2002- Vice-Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong
2003-05 Vice-Minister of Justice Wu Aiying
2005- Minister of Justice
Vice Governor of Shandong Province 1993-98, Deputy
Secretary General of the Communist Party Committee of Shandong 1998-2002, Deputy
Secretary General of the Party Committee of Shandong Province, President of the
Provincial Committee of the People’s Consultative Conference and Secretary
General of the Party Group of the Committee 2002-03. (b. 1951-).
2003- Vice-Minister of Personnel Shen Yueyue
2003-06 Vice-Minister of Education Chen Xiaoya
2003- Vice-Minister of the State Development and Reform Commission Ou Xinqian
2003- Vice-Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Hua Fuzhou
2004-06 Vice-Minister of Education Li Weihong
2005- Vice-Minister of Water Resources Zhou Ying
2006- Spokesperson of Foreign
Affairs Jiang Yu
The fourth women on the post since 1983, when it was established.
2006- Assistant Minister of Finance Liu
Hongwei
Chief and Deputy General Secretary of Party Committee of Shanghai
Financial Bureau and Local Taxation Bureau 1998-2006. (b. 1953-)
2007-13 Minister of Supervision Ma Wen
Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of
China 2004-07. (b. 1958-)
2007-08 Vice-Minister in charge
of State Population and Family Planning Commission Li Bin
2008- Minister in charge of State Population and Family Planning Commission
Former Vice-Governor of Jilin Province, and member of the Standing Committee of
the CPC Jilin Provincial Committee.
2008-13 State Councillor and Vice-Chairwoman of the Beijing Organizing Committee
for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad
2013- 2. Vice-Prime
Minister Liu Yandong
Vice-Chairperson of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
(CPPCC) 2003-08 and Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party 2007. In 2012
Several news reports named her the first female potential candidate for the
Politburo's Standing Committee. (b. 1945-).
2009-13 Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fu Ying
Former Ambassador to he Philippines, Australia and the United
Kingdom and Spokesperson for the first session of the 12th National
People's Congress in 2013.
2012- Member of the Politburo of the Communist Party Sun
Chunlan
Party Chief in Fujian province and 2009-12 (as the second provincial
partyc chief in China's history, and Communist Party chief of the northern city
of Tianjin. from 2012.
2013- Minister of Health
and Family Planning Li Bin
Chairperson and Party Secretary of the National Population and Family Planning
Commission 2008–2011, Vice-Governor and Acting Governor of Anhui 2011-12 and
Governor 2012-13. (b. 1954-).
Last update 04.04.13