China's then public security minister Zhou Yongkang attends the opening ceremony of the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing in this 2007 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

Profile of Zhou Yongkang

Zhou was born in Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province, in December 1942. Joined the Communist Party of China in November 1964 and began working in September 1966. Graduated from the Exploration Department, Beijing Petroleum

Top officials probed since 1978

Zhou's associates under probe

Institute, majoring in geophysical exploration. With a university education. Senior engineer with a rank equivalent to professor.

Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau, state councilor and member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the State Council, deputy secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, and minister and Party secretary of the Ministry of Public Security.

1961-1966 Student of geophysical exploration at the Exploration Department, Beijing Petroleum Institute

1966-1967 Stayed at the Institute waiting for job assignment

1967-1970 Intern, technician of the geological survey team of No. 673 Factory, Daqing Oilfield

1970-1973 Technician, Party branch secretary and brigade leader of the regional office, Geological Survey Regiment, Liaohe Oil Exploration Campaign Headquarters

1973-1976 Director, Geophysical Exploration Division, Liaohe Oil Exploration Bureau (LOEB)

1976-1979 Deputy director, Political Department, LOEB

1979-1983 Deputy director general of LOEB and concurrently Party secretary of LOEB Drilling Headquarters, Party secretary and concurrently commander of LOEB Geophysical Exploration Headquarters

1983-1985 Director general and deputy Party secretary of LOEB, and deputy Party secretary and mayor of Panjin, Liaoning Province

1985-1988 Vice-minister of the Ministry of Petroleum Industry and member of the Ministry's Leading Party Members' Group

1988-1996 Deputy general manager and deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group of China National Petroleum and Natural Gas Corporation (1989-1990: concurrently commander of Tarim Oil Exploration Campaign Headquarters and secretary of its provisional Party committee; and Party secretary and director general of Shengli Petroleum Administration, and Party secretary of Dongying, Shandong Province)

1996-1998 General manager of China National Petroleum and Natural Gas Corporation and secretary of its Leading Party Members' Group

1998-1999 Minister of the Ministry of Land and Recourses and secretary of the Ministry's Leading Party Members' Group

1999-2002 Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee

2002-2003 Member of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, deputy secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, and minister and Party secretary of the Ministry of Public Security

2003-2007 Member of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, state councilor and member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the State Council, deputy secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee, and minister and Party secretary of the Ministry of Public Security

2007- Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau (to 2012.11), state councilor and member of the Leading Party Members' Group of the State Council (to 2008.3), deputy secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee (to 2012.11), and minister and Party secretary of the Ministry of Public Security

Alternate member of the Fourteenth CPC Central Committee, member of the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth CPC Central Committees, member of the Political Bureau and member of the Secretariat of the Sixteenth CPC Central Committee, member of the Political Bureau of the Seventeenth CPC Central Committee and its Standing Committee.