Wen Jiabao was born in Beichen, Tianjin, in September of 1942. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in April of 1965.
1965: graduated from the Beijing Institute of Geology with a degree in mineral resources geology.
1968-1982: began his career in the Geological Department of Gansu Province, where he held different posts, the last of which was deputy director-general.
1982-1983: served as director of the Policy and Law Research Office of the Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources and a member of its Leading Party Members' Group.
1983-1985: served as vice-minister of Geology and Mineral Resources.
He began his party career in 1985, successively holding the posts of deputy director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, secretary of the Work Committee of Departments under the CPC Central Committee, and Secretary of the Financial Work Committee of the CPC Central Committee.
September 1997: elected to the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and to the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee.
November 2002: elected as member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee by a decision of the 16th CPC Congress. He was re-elected by the 17th Congress in October 2007.
March 2003: elected Premier of the State Council at the first session of the 10th National People's Congress, which serves as China's parliament.
March 2008: re-elected by the 11th National People's Congress.
He has visited Russia on several occasions.
Wen Jiabao is married to Zhang Peili, a jewellery expert and investor who works as the director of China's National Centre of Jewellery and Nephrite Quality.