Liu Yandong served alongside President Hu Jintao in the China Youth League and has an outside chance of becoming the first woman member of the Politburo Standing Committee. She rose to prominence through the influential United Front Work Department and at the 17th party congress in 2007, she was made a Politburo member in charge of health, education, science and sports. Her elevation is seen by political observers a strong message that China's political sphere is evolving.