(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-10-31 15:39

BEIJING - The local legislature of Beijing has approved local government nomination of Huang Yan, who has no party affiliation, as the new head of the Municipal Commission of Urban Planning.

Huang Yan shows her appointment document, October 30, 2007. [www.thebeijingnews.com]

Huang Yan, 43, becomes the current only non-Communist Party of China (CPC) member acting as a bureau chief in the Beijing municipal government.

A graduate in living environment studies from Belgium's Catholic University of Louvain, she has served as deputy bureau chief of the urban planning commission since 2000. During this period, she was in charge of prominent projects such as the construction of the National Theater and the National Museum.

"Huang has the essentials of professional knowledge, broad vision in reform and renovation, strong sense of responsibility and fluent foreign language skills," said Xin Tieliang, head of the Personnel Department.

After majoring in architecture at university, Huang began working in the Beijing Urban Planning and Design Institute in 1986. She chose the topic of "housing development in Beijing" for her thesis, which earned her an "A" grade.

Huang has been deeply involved in Beijing's face-lift for the 2008 Olympics and she has acted as the chief interpreter for inspectors from the International Olympic Committee.

The Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress approved the nomination at its 39th meeting on Tuesday.

Prior to Huang, only one other non-CPC member - in charge of the family planning department - has served as bureau chief in the Beijing municipal government.

In 2006, 10 of the 16 deputy positions to the bureau offices in the Beijing Municipal Government were given to non-CPC members.

Wang Yukai, professor with the China National School of Administration, said that the appointment of non-CPC member to leading positions is a new move in implementing and improving the system of the multi-party cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of CPC under new situation.

Wan Gang and Chen Zhu, now minister of science and technology and minister of health, have become the first non-Communist cabinet appointments since the late 1970s when China launched its economic reform and opening up.

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