Bayanqolu was elected governor of northeast China's Jilin Province Thursday at the first session of the 12th Jilin Provincial People's Congress, the local legislative body.

More than a month ago on Dec. 19, the local legislature appointed Bayanqolu as acting governor and vice governor of the major agricultural province.

Bayanqolu was the deputy chief of the Jilin Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China between August 2010 and February 2011 and was chairman of the Jilin Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference between February 2011 and January 2013.

The 58-year-old ethnic Mongolian was elected as a member of the 18th CPC Central Committee at the 18th CPC National Congress held in November.

He is a native of Etuokeqian Banner (County) in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and has a master's degree in economics.

At the same session, Wang Rulin, secretary of Jilin Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, was elected chairman of the Standing Committee of Jilin Provincial People's Congress.