Rare pick from within as Gao Hucheng gets key economic job
The 61-year-old, fluent French speaker, faces tough challenges after the country's trade growth missed the official target last year and turned in its worst performance since the global financial crisis.
Gao Hucheng, an experienced international negotiator and a former senior business executive, will replace Chen Deming as commerce minister.
The 61-year-old, fluent French speaker, faces tough challenges after the country's trade growth missed the official target last year and turned in its worst performance since the global financial crisis.
A deputy commerce minister since 2003 and international trade representative since 2010, Gao's appointment is part of a major cabinet reshuffle under a new government.
His promotion from within the ministry rather than Beijing's usual practice of appointing someone from the vast pool of provincial leaders shows the central government recognises his ability to run an agency that is crucial to economic development.
Unlike Chen, 64, who climbed the political ladder mostly through provincial and central government positions, Gao has experience in both the government and business sectors, including serving as a deputy general manager at China Resources Enterprise in the 1990s.
Gao will need to stabilise exports even as the West remains stuck in a protracted recession and cope with rising trade frictions with other countries.