Lu was born in Chaohu, Anhui in January 1960.
In 1991, Lu worked in Xinhua News Agency of Guangxi province as the Deputy Director, he was promoted to become the Director in 1997.[2]
From 2001 to 2004, he rose through the ranks to become Deputy Director of Xinhua News Agency.[2]
In March 2011, Lu was appointed as the Vice-Mayor of Beijing, the Minister of Beijing Propaganda Department and a Standing Committee member of the Beijing Municipal Party Committee, he remained in that positions until April 2013, when he was appointed the Chairman of State Internet Information Office, the Vice-Chairman of State Council Information Office.
In August 2013, Lu convened a meeting to publicize the Chinese Dream, which was described by Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping, Charles Xue, Ji Lianhai, Pan Shiyi, Xu Shiping, Qi Xiangdong, Xu Xiaoping, Li Weining, Chen Li, Liao Hong, Gu Yongqiang, Chen Tong, Sun Jian, Hu Yanping, Gao Long, and Zhang Guoqing were invited to attend the meeting.[3][4]