Guo Shuqing

Guo Shuqing (Chinese: 郭树清; born August 1956) is a Chinese politician, banker, and financial regulator. He is currently serving as the Governor and Deputy Party Secretary of Shandong province in eastern China.

Guo spent most of his career in the finance industry. He formerly served as chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), chairman of China Construction Bank, chairman of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, vice-governor of the People's Bank of China and vice-governor of Guizhou Province as well as the director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Biography

Guo Shuqing was born in August 1956 in Chahar Right Back Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, near the modern city of Ulanqab. He is of Han Chinese background. In August 1974, he joined a farming commune in Siziwang Banner, near the regional capital Hohhot, as a labourer during the Down to the Countryside Movement. In 1978, he became part of the first batch of students to return to school after the Cultural Revolution, a period which effectively suspended higher education in China. He graduated from Nankai University, one of the country's top universities, in 1982 and then pursued a master's degree at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.^[1]

After graduating he continued to take part in academic research while completing a doctorate in law. During his studies he also worked briefly as a researcher at the State Council office in charge of economic reform; he also took a year-long study abroad trip to St Antony's College at Oxford University.^[1]

Beginning in 1988, Guo became a full-time researcher at the State Council, working in various capacities for institutions related to economic restructuring. In March 1996 he became Secretary-General of the state commission in charge of macroeconomic management. In 1998, he was transferred to Guizhou province as Vice Governor.

In 2001, he became director of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange in addition to Vice Governor of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank. In 2003 he became chief executive of Central Huijin Investment Ltd., a full state-owned subsidiary of China Investment Corporation. In 2005 he became chairman of the board of the China Construction Bank, one of China's largest banks by revenue. He served in that role for over six years. In 2011, he took on the job of chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), China's securities regulator.

In March 2013, Guo was tasked with his second regional stint, this time taking on the office of Governor of Shandong province. Guo was an alternate member of the 17th CPC Central Committee, and is currently a full member of the 18th CPC Central Committee.^[2] Guo has been touted as the top candidate for succeeding Zhou Xiaochuan as Governor of China's central bank. Zhou is expected to retire due to age.

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