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Zhang Guoqing

The latest news on Chinese politician Zhang Guoqing, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China, including political stories and updates.

Born

13 Aug 1964

Industry

Politics

Job Title

Former Vice-Premier of China

Workers transport soil containing rare earth elements for export at a port in China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: Reuters

US-China trade war

Chinese premier tours rare earths production hub amid rising US tech rivalry

Premier Li Qiang called for China to consolidate its lead in industries like rare earths, where Beijing has a strategic edge over Washington.

13 Feb 2026 - 11:12AMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

How Chinese corruption busters are tracking down bribes paid in cryptocurrency

15 Jan 2026 - 8:34PMvideocam

China economy

Chinese vice-premiers’ tours highlight hi-tech push, poverty relief, Aids fight

12 Oct 2025 - 5:47PMvideocam

Tibet

China launches Tibet mega dam project that has sparked water worries in India

Premier Li Qiang attends groundbreaking ceremony for Yarlung Tsangpo dam on Tibetan Plateau with projected 300 billion kWh annual capacity.

19 Jul 2025 - 10:47PM

The Yarlung Tsangpo River in Medog county of Nyingchi, in Tibet autonomous region. Photo: Xinhua

Belt and Road Initiative

China to speed up bullet-train connectivity with neighbours

High-speed railways will be a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road, creating key transport arteries to set international railway standards.

8 Jul 2025 - 8:08PM

Artificial intelligence

US declines to sign international declaration on artificial intelligence

Statement by more than 60 nations including China aims to erect guardrails to ensure AI is ‘inclusive, transparent, secure and trustworthy’.

12 Feb 2025 - 7:17PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Xi demands ‘disruptive’ innovation to ‘fight battle in core technologies’

At meeting of Communist Party’s top policymaking body, Xi says China must ‘fight the battle in core technologies’, increase supply chain resilience in face of containment by US.

2 Feb 2024 - 2:09AM

Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) inspects an exhibition on science and tech innovations in Shanghai on November 28. The Chinese leader said at a Politburo meeting on Wednesday that China must use innovation to cultivate new industries. Photo: Xinhua

Accidents and disasters in China

8 dead in China as landslide buries mountain village

More than a dozen homes were in the disaster’s path as it struck on Monday morning, state media report.

22 Jan 2024 - 9:04PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

China strips 3 aerospace-defence executives of political titles amid crackdown

State media reports top political advisory body decides to revoke seats of executives from three major companies

28 Dec 2023 - 5:03PMvideocam

Accidents and disasters in China

Gansu earthquake rescue ‘basically over’, focus now on survivors

Death toll from Monday night quake at 131, says state media, as teams work to protect residents and restore infrastructure.

20 Dec 2023 - 7:55PMvideocam

A rescuer uses a sniffer dog to search for survivors at a collapsed houses following a massive earthquake in Jishishan in Gansu province. Photo: AP

China-EU relations

EU-China summit on for December as Brussels eyes Russia sanctions violators

Bloc’s top officials confirmed to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang while concerns about Beijing subsidies and Ukraine support persist.

11 Nov 2023 - 5:21AMvideocam

European Union Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton speaks during a media briefing in Beijing on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE

China’s Communist Party

China confirms Vice-Premier He Lifeng as head of Communist Party finance body

He attends meeting of Central Finance Commission, established in March to serve as primary planner for financial system as ruling party seeks direct control over wide range of policy areas.

6 Nov 2023 - 8:43PM

China’s Communist Party

Vice-Premier He Lifeng shown to be China’s point man on economic ties

He, a confidant of President Xi Jinping, covers a bigger footprint in the trade portfolio than his predecessor Liu He but is not responsible for tech or manufacturing.

4 Oct 2023 - 9:30PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Leading Chinese car engineer given provincial leadership role in Hubei

The appointment of Shao Xinyu comes as the leadership is seeking to promote more officials with science and technology backgrounds.

29 Sep 2023 - 9:23PMvideocam

Shao Xinyu has been given a provincial leadership role in Hubei. Photo: Weibo

China-EU relations

EU to name Swedish diplomat as new Asia Pacific chief

Kvarnström confirms he will take over the position before the end of the year.

18 Sep 2023 - 5:00PM

Niclas Kvarnström has confirmed he will take up the EU post this year. Photo: Handout

China-EU relations

EU digital boss will travel to China to pitch AI global governing body

Vera Jourova to promote idea of artificial intelligence advisory panel in dialogue with Chinese vice-premier during 24-hour visit to Beijing, where she is also expected to sign consumer safety deal and raise concerns from European business community.

15 Sep 2023 - 9:39PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

‘Very high level’: Putin plays up Russia’s economic ties with China

In talks with Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing, Putin says growing trade is based on the political relationship between the two countries.

12 Sep 2023 - 9:48PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

Great gains of grain: China, Russia agree to build US$159 million hub at border

Fresh deals signed at the Eastern Economic Forum in a Russian city bordering China show how the neighbours continue to grow closer amid tensions with the West.

13 Sep 2023 - 9:36AMvideocam

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) poses with Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Accidents and disasters in China

China floods: death toll rises to 29 in Hebei, damage could take years to fix

Province reports 16 still missing and 1.75 million relocated in wake of Typhoon Doksuri, which brought heavy rain and flooding to north and northeast China.

11 Aug 2023 - 4:18PMvideocam

Accidents and disasters in China

China floods: call to evacuate residents ‘without delay’ as second typhoon threatens

Flooding kills more than a dozen in Jilin province and threatens rice harvest in Heilongjiang, and with Typhoon Khanun on the way, disaster relief efforts are ‘demanding and not optimistic’, says Chinese flood authority.

8 Aug 2023 - 9:08PMvideocam

Accidents and disasters in China

Chinese army sent in to help with flood relief efforts

Thousands of troops sent to help relief efforts in northeastern provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang.

6 Aug 2023 - 9:21PMvideocam

Authorities in the city of Shulan, Jilin province say their next task is to repair roads, bridges, electricity infrastructure and telecommunications stations damaged by heavy rain and floods. Photo: Xinhua via AP

China manufacturing

China’s C919, large cruise liner underline China’s advanced manufacturing progress

In this edition of the Global Impact newsletter, we look back at the two major milestones and examines what they mean for China’s efforts to find another economic growth engine, and of course, compete with the United States.

19 Jun 2023 - 2:00PMvideocam

Communist Party politics

Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing targets China’s manufacturing sector

During inspection of major manufacturers in Shanghai, Zhang urged speedy value-adding and faster breakthroughs in bottleneck technologies.

7 Jun 2023 - 4:00PMvideocam

China’s Communist Party

Chen Xi: the presidential aide who built China’s new technocracy

As head of the Communist Party’s Organisation Department, Chen oversaw the emergence of a group of Tsinghua and tech cadres at the very top of Chinese politics.

28 Apr 2023 - 7:00AMvideocam

Environment

Do Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang’s COP28 talks signal new climate role?

Ding appears set to become the country’s top decision maker on the issue after meeting Sultan al-Jaber in Beijing.

20 Apr 2023 - 3:19PMvideocam

Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang meets COP28 UAE president-designate Sultan al-Jaber in Beijing on April 18. Photo: Xinhua

Science

Scale of glacier loss in Himalayas previously hidden, say scientists

Findings important for understanding the impact of water resources and flooding in the region, says Chinese researcher.

17 Apr 2023 - 9:00AMvideocam

A new study finds glacier loss in the Himalayas is greater than previously calculated. Photo: Xinhua

Two Sessions 2023

Vice-Premier He Lifeng to oversee China’s monetary issues, foreign investment

The 68-year-old Politburo member will take charge of China’s financial stability and security.

27 Mar 2023 - 7:14PMvideocam

Two Sessions 2023

China’s new cabinet leaders get to work, signalling their portfolios

Liu Guozhong begins work on agricultural affairs while Shen Yiqin takes on employment and civil affairs roles.

24 Mar 2023 - 7:36PM

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