Zhao Huirong graduated from the Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2006 with a PhD degree in international politics. She joined the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2001. Promoted to professor in 2016.

Currently, she is director of research Offices in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and the Baltic States; Master supervisor of Eurasian Studies, Department of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Foreign doctoral supervisor of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University；Executive Deputy Director of the China-Belarus Development Analysis Center of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Executive director of the Society of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia; Board member of the High-end Think tank for China-Russia Strategic Coordination and Cooperation; Board member of the China Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center, and member of the Expert Advisory Committee of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Demonstration Zone for Local Economic and Trade Cooperation.

Her main research field is International relations in Eurasia region. She has hosted the National Social Science Foundation project of China "The Impact of The Greater Eurasian Partnership on the Belt and Road and Its Response", and the Innovative projects of The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences "Research on The Development Strategy of Ukraine under the Framework of the Belt and Road" and "Research on the History of China-Belarus Relations (1992-2020)". She has published studies on the Development course of Central Asian States (monograph), Game of Great Powers: The Design of Uzbekistan's Diplomatic Strategy (monograph), Azerbaijan (co-authored), and A Brief History of Belarus (translated). She has been a visiting scholar in the Netherlands, Russia, Uzbekistan and other countries, and has participated in research projects of Asian Development Bank, Johns Hopkins University, Netherlands International Institute for Asian Studies and other institutions.