Wang Chen (politician)

In this Chinese name, the family name is Wang.

Wang Chen
王晨
Wang Chen in 2020
Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
In office 14 March 2013 – 10 March 2023 First-ranking between March 2018 and March 2023
Chairman	Zhang Dejiang Li Zhanshu
Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
In office 14 March 2013 – 17 March 2018
Preceded by	Li Jianguo
Succeeded by	Yang Zhenwu
Director of the State Council Information Office
In office 30 March 2008 – 26 April 2013
Preceded by	Cai Wu
Succeeded by	Cai Mingzhao
Personal details
Born	(1950-12-02) 2 December 1950 Beijing, People’s Republic of China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party (1975–present)
Alma mater	Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Wang Chen (Chinese: 王晨; pinyin: Wáng Chén; born 2 December 1950) is a Chinese journalist and retired politician who served as a vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress from 2013 to 2023, and a member of the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party from 2017 to 2022.

He served as Director of State Council Information Office from 2008 to 2013 and as the Secretary-General of the 12th National People's Congress Standing Committee from 2013 to 2018.

Early life and education

Wang was born in Beijing in December 1950. He jointed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1969. Wang received an undergraduate education in Chinese literature. Between 1969 and 1970, he was a "sent-down youth" at an agricultural commune in Yijun County, Yan’an, Shaanxi. From 1970 to 1973, he worked as a clerk at the Propaganda Department and the County Office of Yijun County. In 1974, he joined the Guangming Daily as a reporter on domestic affairs, working there until 1979. In that year, he enrolled in the Department of Journalism at the Chinese Academy of Social Science, graduating with a a master’s degree in journalism in 1982.

Career

He returned to Guangming Daily after his graduation, where he was a reporter on political and economic affairs and deputy director of the Mass Media Department, later becoming a director in 1984. He also became the director of the Office of the Editor-in-Chief in 1984, later becoming the deputy editor-in-chief in 1986, and finally the editor-in-chief in 1995.

In June 2000 he was appointed as deputy director of CCP Publicity Department. In August 2001, he became the editor-in-chief of People's Daily. In October of same year, he became the vice chairman of China National Journalist Association. He was promoted to president of People's Daily Agency. In March 2003, he became the chairman of Chinese Newspapers Association. In 2006, he attended a short program at the Central Party School. From 2008 to 2013, he served as Director of the Information Office of the State Council. He was appointed the director of the newly created State Internet Information Office under the Information Office in May 2011.

On 14 March 2013, he became the secretary-general of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and a vice-chairman of the NPCSC.

In October 2017, after the 19th Party Congress, Wang became a member of the CCP Politburo. He became the first-ranking vice chairman of the NPCSC in March 2018.

He was a member of the 16th, 17th and 18th CCP Central Committees, and a member of the 9th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

U.S. sanctions

On December 7, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions on the entire body of 14 Vice Chairpersons of the National People's Congress of China, including Wang Chen, for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly."

Despite these sanctions, the American Chamber of Commerce in China hosted Wang at its annual appreciation dinner on December 10, 2020, which stirred controversy and criticism in the U.S.