Cao Qingze, male, Han nationality, is a native of Lixian County, Hunan Province but his career history is laid largely in Sichuan Province. He was born in 1932. At age 20, he became Secretary of the CPC 10th District Committee and from there worked his way up through positions in the Party and the agricultural sector in Sichuan until, in 1980, he spent a year at the CPC Central Committee Party School in Beijing.
Returning to Sichuan, he served four years as deputy secretary-general of the provincial government. In 1985, Cao became deputy secretary of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection as well as a member of the standing committee of the CPC Sichuan Provincial Committee.
By 1989, Cao had moved to center stage, becoming a member of the standing committee of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, a position to which he was re-elected in 1992 and 1997. From 1993 to 1998, Cao was Minister of Supervision. Since 1992, he has been a deputy secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.