Lü Fuyuan () (October 1945 – 18 May 2004) was the first minister of the

Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) is a cabinet-level executive agency of the State Council of China. It is responsible for formulating policy on foreign trade, export and import regulations, foreign direct ...

Biography

After graduating from

Jilin University Jilin University (JLU; ; often abbreviated JLU or ) is a leading national research university located in Changchun, China. It is under the direct jurisdiction of China's Ministry of Education. It is a Chinese Ministry of Education Class A Doub ...

with a degree in

Physics Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...

, Lü worked for several years in the

First Automobile Works China FAW Group Corp., Ltd. (First Automobile Works) is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Changchun, Jilin.

Changchun Changchun (, ; ), also romanized as Ch'angch'un, is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. Lying in the center of the Songliao Plain, Changchun is administered as a , comprising 7 districts, 1 county and 3 c ...

, and then studied at the

Université de Montréal The Université de Montréal (UdeM; ; translates to University of Montreal) is a French-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university's main campus is located in the Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood of Côte-de ...

in Canada during 1981 and 1983; but later, he refused the offer to stay in Canada. When Lü went backed to China, the Chinese Embassy to Canada then suggested the

First Automobile Works China FAW Group Corp., Ltd. (First Automobile Works) is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Changchun, Jilin.

to invite Lü joined the

Communist Party of China The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victorious in the Chinese Civil ...

in 1983. Soon, Lü was promoted to the Deputy Executive Officer of

First Automobile Works China FAW Group Corp., Ltd. (First Automobile Works) is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Changchun, Jilin.

and the Chief Economist Officer, in charging operations and trades. He was also awarded by the Central Military Commission because of his contribution to the 35th National Day Parade of People's Republic of China in 1984. Six years later, Lü joined the Ministry of Machine Industry of China, as the Department Head of automobile Industry; and then was promoted to the Deputy Minister of Machine Industry. During the eight years in office, he had made tremendous contribution to China's Automobile Industry, and personally involved in a number of projects. He also invited

Wan Gang Wan Gang (, born August 1952) is a Chinese expert on automobiles, former president of Tongji University (2002–2007) and former Minister of Science and Technology. He is the Chairman of the China Zhi Gong Party, a legally sanctioned minor ...

, a Chinese expert on automobiles who at that time was working with German

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. Th ...

Corporation, to return to China. Since 1998, Lü was assigned to be the Deputy Minister in Ministry of Education, and then Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation. In March 2003, the former Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation (MOFTEC) went through a reorganization and was renamed as Ministry of Commerce. Lü was promoted to be the first

Minister of Commerce A Commerce minister (sometimes business minister, industry minister, trade minister or international trade minister) is a position in many governments that is responsible for regulating external trade and promoting economic growth (commercial polic ...

. However, after less than one year in the office, Lü resigned on 29 February 2004 due to

liver cancer Liver cancer (also known as hepatic cancer, primary hepatic cancer, or primary hepatic malignancy) is cancer that starts in the liver. Liver cancer can be primary (starts in liver) or secondary (meaning cancer which has spread from elsewhere to th ...

and died three months later.

External links

Former Chinese commerce minister dies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lu, Fuyuan 1945 births 2004 deaths People from Suihua People's Republic of China politicians from Heilongjiang Jilin University alumni Chinese Communist Party politicians from Heilongjiang Ministers of Commerce of the People's Republic of China Burials at Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery