The Ninth National Congress of the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) elected its new leadership in Beijing August 25, with Gu Xiulian replacing Chen Muhua as the new president.

Chen Muhua and Peng Peiyun were elected as the federation's honorary presidents.

The new 245-member Executive Committee of the Chinese Women's Ninth National Congress was elected by the 1,313 representatives.

The average age of the new executive committee is 49.71, 4.36 years younger than the previous session.

The congress, which opened here last Friday, will conclude Tuesday after discussing the work report of the Eighth Executive Committee of the ACWF and adopting amendments to the federation's constitution.

The congress is held every five years.

Backgrounder: Gu Xiulian's biographical sketch

Gu is 67 years of age, the following is her biographical sketch:

Female, of Han nationality, born in December 1936, native to Nantong, Jiangsu Province; joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1956; senior economist.

Studied at a public security cadre's school in Shenyang, in northeast China's Liaoning Province, in 1953-1954; served at the Public Security Bureau of Benxi city, Liaoning, in 1954-1958;

Studied at the Secondary Metallurgical Machinery School of Shenyang in 1958-1961.

Served as a technician and a grassroots cadre of the Communist Youth League of China at Jinchuan Metallurgical Corporation in northwest China's Gansu Province in 1961-1964; a technician at the Ministry of Textile Industry from 1964-1969.

Vice minister of the State Planning Commission and vice minister of the State Family Planning Commission in 1973-1982.

Elected alternate member of the 11th CPC Central Committee and member of the 12th through 15th CPC Central Committees.

Appointed secretary of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee in 1982 and governor of Jiangsu Province in 1983.

Minister of Chemical Industry in 1989-1998.

Elected vice president of the 7th and 8th Executive Committee of the All-China Women's Federation; vice president of the 3rd Council of the China Women's Development Fund in January 1999.

Elected vice president of China Women's Development Fund in 2001.

Elected vice president of All-China Women's Federation in 2002.

Deputy to the Ninth National People's Congress in 1998.

Elected vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC) at the First Session of the Tenth NPC in March, 2003.

(Xinhua News Agency August 26, 2003)