Minister re-elected non-communist party chairman

BEIJING - Wan Gang, China's minister of science and technology, was re-elected chairman of the China Zhi Gong Party, a non-communist political party with about 38,000 members, on Thursday.

File photo of Wan Gang

The party concluded its four-day 14th National Congress on the same day.

Wan, currently 60, was first elected as the party's chief in 2007.

He has been the first non-communist party minister in China's State Council since the late 1970s, when the country launched its economic reform and opening-up drive.

He is also vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The China Zhi Gong Party was founded in October 1925 and mainly comprises overseas Chinese who have returned to the mainland, relatives of Chinese nationals living abroad and those who have close relations with overseas Chinese.

It is one of eight non-communist parties in China that participate in state affairs under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Under the multi-party cooperation system, the CPC and non-communist parties are intended to work together and supervise each other.

Special: 18th CPC National Congress