Profile: Zhang Gaoli: From "poor boy" to political figure (4)

（Xinhua） 08:37, December 26, 2012

File photo taken on June 18, 2008 shows Zhang Gaoli (1st L) discusses post-disaster reconstruction work with local officials at Wulipo Group in Kangjiadong Village of Hanyuan Township in Ningqiang County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Ningqiang County was one of the hardest hit areas during the Wenchuan earthquake and Tianjin's pairing-assistance area. (Xinhua/Liu Shuyun)

OLD HAND OF ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT

Tianjin residents pinned great hopes on Zhang when he became Party chief of the port city neighboring Beijing in March 2007. They hoped the old hand in economic management groomed in the country's reform and opening-up frontiers, such as Shenzhen, would help the city regain its past glory as one of the country's economic hubs.

Zhang did not let them down.

Despite slowdowns in both the Chinese and global economies during the period from 2007 to 2011, Tianjin scored continuous growth in its gross domestic product (GDP), with an annual increase of 16.5 percent for five consecutive years.