▁Republic ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁provincial - level ▁head ▁of ▁government ▁( after ▁Gu ▁X i ul ian ). ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁she ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁Inner ▁Mong olia ▁Aut onom ous ▁Region . ▁At ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁National ▁People ' s ▁Congress ▁session ▁held ▁in ▁March , ▁she ▁became ▁a ▁Vice - Ch air ▁of ▁its ▁Stand ing ▁Committee , ▁the ▁body ▁which ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁day - to - day ▁legisl ative ▁body ▁when ▁the ▁N PC ▁is ▁not ▁in ▁session . ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : 1 9 4 2 ▁birth s ▁Category : Pol it icians ▁from ▁Ch ao y ang , ▁L ia oning ▁Category : Comm un ist ▁Party ▁of ▁China ▁polit icians ▁from ▁L ia oning ▁Category : L iving ▁people ▁Category : Pe ople ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁polit icians ▁from ▁L ia oning ▁Category : Pol it ical ▁office - hold ers ▁in ▁Inner ▁Mong olia ▁Category : Ch inese ▁people ▁of ▁Mong ol ian ▁descent ▁Category : Ch inese ▁women ▁in ▁politics ▁Category : 2 0 th - century ▁women ▁polit icians ▁Category : 2 1 st - century ▁women ▁polit icians <0x0A> </s> ▁Mary ▁Alice ▁Down ie ▁( born ▁February ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 3 4 ) ▁is ▁an ▁American - born ▁Canadian ▁writer . ▁ ▁The ▁daughter ▁of ▁Canadian ▁parents , ▁she ▁was ▁born ▁Mary ▁Alice ▁Da we ▁Hunter ▁in