Wu County
Ji was born in Shazhou County (present-day Zhangjiagang), Jiangsu province, in January 1957. In September 1974, he joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He worked first as an ordinary editor and propaganda functionary in the local party organization in Suzhou. He then became deputy editor for "Suzhou Daily", and a government official in Wu County. He later took on a series of increasingly senior leadership roles in the county-level city of Kunshan. He also headed the administration of the Suzhou Lake Tai tourist area.