Zhang Guoqing
张国清
Zhang in 2023
Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China
Assumed office
12 March 2023
PremierLi Qiang
Communist Party Secretary of Liaoning
In office
1 September 2020 – 28 November 2022
DeputyLiu Ning → Li Lecheng (Governor)
General SecretaryXi Jinping
Preceded byChen Qiufa
Succeeded byHao Peng
Mayor of Tianjin
In office
2 January 2018 – 1 September 2020
Party SecretaryLi Hongzhong
Preceded byWang Dongfeng
Succeeded byLiao Guoxun
Mayor of Chongqing
In office
30 December 2016 – 2 January 2018
Party SecretarySun Zhengcai → Chen Min'er
Preceded byHuang Qifan
Succeeded byTang Liangzhi
Personal details
BornAugust 1964 (age 59)
Luoshan County, Henan, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party
Alma materChangchun University of Science and Technology
Nanjing University of Science and Technology
CabinetLi Qiang Government

Zhang Guoqing (Chinese: 张国清; pinyin: Zhāng Guóqīng; born August 1964) is a Chinese politician and former corporate executive who has served as vice premier of the People's Republic of China since March 2023 and a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party since October 2022. Previously, he served as the mayor of Tianjin, one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of China. An economics doctorate from Tsinghua University, Zhang had previously served as the Communist Party secretary of Liaoning, mayor of Chongqing, the chief executive of North Industries, a military contractor.

Early life

Zhang was born in 1964 in the town of Lingshan, Luoshan County, Henan province. He studied electrical engineering at the Changchun Institute of Optical Mechanics (now Changchun University of Science and Technology) and graduated in 1985. After graduating, he pursued a master's degree from the Nanjing University of Science and Technology in international trade.

Corporate career

Zhang worked at Norinco, a military supplier. He began work as a project manager, then worked in the company's operations in the Middle East, including a stint in the company's office in Tehran. He was promoted to vice president in 1996, and by 1998, he had become the Communist Party Secretary of the company, first-in-charge. He also became chairman of the Board of China Wanbao Engineering Ltd.[1] In 1999, Zhang began work for the China North Industries Group Corporation as a vice-president. By April 2004 he was promoted to chief executive of North Industries. During this time he also earned a doctorate in economics from Tsinghua University. Between September and November 2001 he took part in an executive management course at Harvard Business School.

Political career

In 2007, Zhang was named an alternate member of the 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and was one of the youngest members with a seat on the body (he was only 42 at the time). By 2012, China North Industries had secured a place in the Fortune Global 500. In 2012, he became a full member of the 18th CCP Central Committee.

In April 2013, Zhang took on a political office for the first time in his life, and was named deputy party chief of Chongqing;[2] three months later he also took on the role of president of the Chongqing party school, which is customary for deputy party chiefs of a jurisdiction.[3] Along with Ma Xingrui, Zhang was the only provincial-level deputy party chief with a full seat on the 18th Central Committee. In December 2016, Zhang was appointed the acting mayor of Chongqing.[4]

In December 2017, Zhang was appointed as the CCP Deputy Secretary of Tianjin.[5] Later, he was appointed as Mayor in January 2018.[6]

On September 1, 2020, Zhang was appointed as the CCP Secretary of Liaoning.[7]

Zhang is seen as a promising candidate for the "6th generation of Chinese leadership". Compared to his contemporaries, Zhang's background is unusual in that much of his career was spent as a corporate executive rather than in politics.

After the 20th Party National Congress, he was elected as a member of the CCP Politburo. On 12 March 2023, he was appointed as a vice premier of China. His portfolio consisted of industry and information technology,[8] emergency management,[9] and state-owned enterprises.[10]

References

  1. ^ 张国清简历
  2. ^ 张国清接替张轩任重庆市委副书记
  3. ^ "张国清兼任重庆市委党校校长". 中国经济网. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
  4. ^ "Chongqing mayor who survived China's biggest political storm of modern times resigns". South China Morning Post. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  5. ^ "张国清任天津市委副书记". People's Daily Online. 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
  6. ^ "张国清任天津副市长、代理市长 景俊海任吉林代省长". ifeng.com. 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  7. ^ "辽宁浙江省委主要负责同志职务调整" (in Chinese). Xinhua. 2020-09-01. Archived from the original on 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  8. ^ "张国清在上海调研时强调 强化创新驱动 促进转型升级 加快推动制造业高质量发展". 新华社. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  9. ^ "张国清在内蒙古调研检查安全生产工作时强调 切实提高风险隐患排查整改质量 坚决防范遏制重特大事故发生". 新华社. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
  10. ^ "张国清在中央企业2023年度经营业绩责任书签订会议上强调 坚定不移做强做优做大国有企业 更好发挥国有经济战略支撑作用". 新华社. 2023-04-17. Retrieved 2023-06-09.
Business positions Preceded byMa Zhigeng [zh] Chairman of China North Industries Group Corporation Limited 2008–2013 Succeeded byYin Jiaxu Party political offices Preceded byZhang Xuan [zh] Specifically-designated Deputy Communist Party Secretary of Chongqing 2013–2016 Succeeded byTang Liangzhi Preceded byChen Qiufa Communist Party Secretary of Liaoning 2020–2022 Succeeded byHao Peng Government offices Preceded byHuang Qifan Mayor of Chongqing 2016–2018 Succeeded byTang Liangzhi Preceded byWang Dongfeng Mayor of Tianjin 2018–2020 Succeeded byLiao Guoxun Assembly seats Preceded byChen Qiufa Chairman of Liaoning People's Congress 2021–2023 Succeeded byHao Peng
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