Chinese economist Gao Shangquan’s death a blow to pro-market camp within Communist Party
- Economist Gao Shangquan was one of the architects behind China’s opening up in the late 1970s and Hong Kong’s handover
- Gao is said to have influenced top Chinese economic officials including Vice-Premier Liu He and central bank governor Yi Gang
The death of renowned economic reformer Gao Shangquan, who was also instrumental in Hong Kong’s handover from Britain to China, is a major loss to the pro-market camp within the Communist Party, a faction whose influence has been waning in recent years, experts said.
One of China’s earliest advocates for a market economy, Gao is believed to have influenced the generation of top Chinese economic officials currently in power, including Vice-Premier Liu He and central bank governor Yi Gang.
“It is a loss for the so-called market school in the country, but there have been very few ways for that camp to make their voices heard over the past few years,” said He Weifang, a prominent law professor at Peking University.
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Although Gao’s administrative rank was not high, his influence and achievements far exceeded his position, said Wang Mingyuan, a former researcher at the China Society of Economic Reform.
