Bo Xilai, former governor of northeast China's Liaoning Province, is appointed the minister of commerce on February 29, 2004 by the 7th session of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress. Lu Fuyuan is removed from the commerce minister post due to health reasons.

The NPC session, focusing on arrangements for the upcoming meeting slated to open on March 5, ended on Sunday.

According to a State Council proposal to the NPC session, Lu Fuyuan has been hospitalized and asked to resign from his minister post. It recommended to appoint Bo to head the commerce ministry because he is familiar with trade and economic work, fluent in English and is the appropriate candidate for the post.

Bo, 54, began working in a Beijing factory in January 1968 and joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 1980.

Bo was elected as vice governor and acting governor of Liaoning Province in January 2001. In February of the same year, he became governor of Liaoning and has held that position since then.

Before Bo was elected Liaoning governor, he was mayor of Dalian from 1993-2001. Dalian is a key port city in Liaoning.

Before becoming Dalian mayor, Bo worked with the Research Office of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat and CPC Central Committee General Office, and served as deputy secretary and secretary of the Jinxian County Party Committee in Liaoning.

In 1999, Bo won the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor Award for his contributions to housing construction and sustainable development.

Bo holds a bachelor's degree in world history from Beijing University and a master's degree in literature from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

(China Daily February 29, 2004)