Yang Xiong traced his ancestry to the Hangzhou area of Zhejiang province, but was born in Nanhui County, Jiangsu province (now part of Pudong, Shanghai). He completed a graduate degree from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in July 1985. He worked in a variety of positions including chairman of Shanghai Airlines. In February 2001 he was transferred to the municipal government of Shanghai. In February 2003 he became a vice mayor of Shanghai and in January 2008 was promoted to executive vice mayor.[1]
On 26 December 2012 Yang's predecessor Han Zheng, who had been elevated to the position of Communist Party Secretary of Shanghai, resigned as mayor and Yang was appointed the acting mayor of Shanghai in place of Han.[3] On 1 February 2013, he was elected Mayor of Shanghai by the Municipal People's Congress.[4]
On 17 January 2017, Yang resigned as mayor.[5] He was replaced by Ying Yong.[6]
^ ab杨雄同志简历 [Biography of Yang Xiong] (in Chinese). People.com.cn. December 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
^"Yang Xiong". China Vitae. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
^韩正辞去上海市市长职务 杨雄任上海市代市长 [Han Zheng resigns as mayor of Shanghai; Yang Xiong appointed acting mayor of Shanghai]. Eastday (in Chinese). 26 December 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
^殷一璀当选上海市人大常委会主任 杨雄当选市长 [Yin Yicui elected director of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress; Yang Xiong elected mayor] (in Chinese). Central Government of China. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013.
^"杨雄辞任上海市市长(图|简历)_中国经济网——国家经济门户" [Ying Yong elected mayor of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government [photos]]. district.ce.cn. 20 January 2017.