After the Cultural Revolution, Zhang became deputy director of Jilin Municipal Planning Committee between May 1978 and June 1984. Then he was transferred to Shulan County and successively served as deputy county governor, deputy party chief, and county governor. He became director and party group secretary of Jilin Provincial Environmental Protection Agency in July 1989, and served until January 1993, when he was appointed president of China Environment News.[3]
From February 1997 towards, he assumed various posts in the Ministry of Environmental Protection's Department of Planning and Finance and Pollution Control Office, and over a period of 11 years worked his way up to the position of vice-minister. He retired in 2013 after having reached the customary retirement age for vice-minister level officials of 60.[3]
PB Former member of the Politburo; PLA Also a military official; CDI Member of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection or affiliates ; S Committed suicide 1For details on the civil service ranks of officials, please see Civil Service of the People's Republic of China; 2Army generals listed have attained at least the rank of Major General, which usually enjoys the same administrative privileges as a civilian official of sub-provincial rank.