During the early 1950s he was Mao's swimming partner.[1] Bo served in a number of similar positions, including vice premier (from 1957) under Zhou Enlai.[2][7] Bo Yibo was a member of the CCP Politburo from the 8th National Party Congress in 1956 to the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, and again during the leadership of Deng Xiaoping, from 1979 until the 12th National Party Congress in 1982, when most of the elders retired from formal government positions.