Wang Wentao (simplified Chinese: 王文涛; traditional Chinese: 王文濤; pinyin: Wáng Wéntāo; born May 1964) is a Chinese politician who has been Minister of Commerce since December 2020. He formerly served as Communist Party Secretary of Jinan and Deputy Party Secretary of Shandong province.
Wang Wentao | |
|---|---|
王文涛 | |
_(cropped).jpg) Wang in 2023 | |
| Minister of Commerce | |
| Assumed office 26 December 2020 | |
| Premier | Li Keqiang (2020–2023) Li Qiang (since 2023) |
| Preceded by | Zhong Shan |
| Governor of Heilongjiang | |
| In office March 2018 – December 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Lu Hao |
| Succeeded by | Hu Changsheng |
| Communist Party Secretary of Jinan | |
| In office March 2015 – March 2018 | |
| Preceded by | Wang Min |
| Succeeded by | Wang Zhonglin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 1964 (age 60) Nantong, Jiangsu |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party (1994-present) |
| Alma mater | Fudan University |
Career
editWang was born in 1964 in Nantong, Jiangsu province. He attended Fudan University in Shanghai, graduating with a degree in philosophy. He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in December 1994. After graduation he worked as an instructor at career institute of the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology; he also served as the head of the Communist Youth League organization at the institute, as well as the managing the sales of photocopying machines. He was later transferred to work as mayor of the town of Wuku in the Songjiang District, then promoted to party chief of Liugang. Then he served as deputy governor of Songjiang District in Shanghai and head of urban planning; he was also in charge of industrial development, the technology park, and export growth.
In January 2005, Wang was then transferred to Kunming to become deputy party chief, then mayor. Then he was transferred back to Shanghai to serve as deputy party chief and later governor of Huangpu District. In April 2011 he was named a provincial Party Standing Committee member of Jiangxi and party chief of the provincial capital Nanchang.[1]
In March 2015, Wang was named Party Secretary of Jinan and joined the Shandong Shengwei Changwei; he replaced Wang Min, who was dismissed for corruption. In April 2017, Wang was named deputy party chief of Shandong.[2] On 26 March 2018, he was appointed acting Governor of Heilongjiang province, replacing Lu Hao. He was confirmed as Governor on 15 May.[3] Wang was appointed Minister of Commerce in December 2020. In October 2022, after the 20th CCP National Congress, Wang was appointed as a full member of the CCP Central Committee. Wang was previously an alternate member of the 18th and the 19th Central Committees of the CCP.
In January 2024, Wang promoted the commerce ministry's commitment to the "Made in China" strategy while acknowledging the challenges of attracting foreign inventors. He also stated that the ministry would not shy away from "unreasonable sanctions and suppression".[4]
In April 2024, during a roundtable discussion in Paris along with representatives from more than ten Chinese companies including BYD, Wang stated that the rise of Chinese vehicles was not because of Chinese government subsidies but "constant innovation" from carmakers. He also said that the allegations of "overcapacity" were "groundless" and "without merit".[5] The roundtable discussion centered around the anti-subsidy probe led by the European Union.[5][6]
References
edit- ^ 王文涛同志简历 (in Chinese (China)). People.cn. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
- ^ 南昌市委书记王文涛将出任济南市委书记 (in Chinese (China)). Sina. Retrieved 2015-03-23.
- ^ 王文涛任黑龙江省代省长. Thepaper.cn (in Chinese (China)). 2018-03-26. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
- ^ "Commerce minister renews 'Made in China' commitment, vows to counter de-risking". South China Morning Post. 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
- ^ a b Chiang, Sheila (2024-04-08). "China says innovations, not subsidies, are powering EV edge as Yellen raises 'overcapacity' concerns". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-12-06.
- ^ "China commerce minister kickstarts Europe trip with Chinese EV firms meeting". CNBC. 2024-04-08. Retrieved 2024-12-06.