History was made on April 27, when the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress approved the nomination of Wan Gang, a non-Communist Party member, in China’s cabinet, the first such appointment in 35 years.

Wan, 55, is vice chairman of the Central Committee of China Zhi Gong Dang, one of the country’s eight democratic parties. The president of Shanghai-based Tongji University replaced Xu Guanhua, 65, as minister of science and technology.

A professional in automotive engineering, Wan obtained his doctorate at the Clausthal University of Technology, Germany. He began to work for Audi AG in 1991, managing the German carmaker’s production and then overall planning division.

In 2000, Wan submitted a proposal to the Chinese Government, calling for an independent development of vehicles powered by clean energy in China. At the invitation of then minister of science and technology, he returned to China at the end of the year and was later appointed to head a national electric vehicle project and serve as chief scientist on the research team.

Wan’s recent appointment has been recognized as a notable move by China to encourage members of democratic parties and personages without party affiliation to play a more active role in the country’s politics.

In 2005, the CPC Central Committee issued a directive, urging central and local governments to open up high-level jobs to non-CPC candidates.

By January this year, more than 32,000 non-CPC members were holding leading positions at and above the county magistrate-level in governments and law enforcement departments at various levels, according to statistics from the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee.