Profile: Zhang Gaoli: From "poor boy" to political figure (7)

（Xinhua）  08:37, December 26, 2012

When the Asian financial crisis occurred in the late 1990s, Zhang promoted infrastructure improvement in Shenzhen, including airport expansions and subway construction, aiming to narrow the development gap between the boomtown and neighboring Hong Kong.

After he was transferred to Shandong and became the province's governor and, later, its Party chief, Zhang directed his focus toward the development of foreign trade, hi-tech industry and the private economy.

In 2006, GDP in Shandong exceeded 2 trillion yuan (256 billion U.S. dollars), second only to that of Guangdong.