Xu Youfang, male, Han nationality is a native of Guangde County, Anhui Province.
Xu spent over 20 years in the Jilin Province working for both local and provincial forestry agencies. In 1986, he became vice-minister of the Ministry of Forestry and subsequently served as Minister of Forestry. He later became secretary of the Heilongjiang CPC Central Committee.
Xu was a member of the 15th CPC Central Committee and is a member of the 16th CPC Central Committee.