Profile: Zhang Gaoli: From "poor boy" to political figure (9)

（Xinhua）  08:37, December 26, 2012

In the following years, he conducted an inspection tour of Binhai almost once a month to spot problems in its development and to help find solutions.

"Serve the people, work in a pragmatic manner and be clean," are the words Zhang always uses to advise himself and his colleagues.

While in Tianjin, he often went to markets, parks and residential compounds accompanied by just one or two aides in order to get to know what the public was really thinking about.

He could also be seen riding in a taxi or playing chess on the sidewalk with gray-haired senior citizens -- all in the hope of soliciting public opinion.

"I, myself, was born a poor boy, and so I feel my duty as an official is to try my best at work, be upright and serve the people whole-heartedly," Zhang told a journalist on the sidelines of the annual session of the national legislature in March.