Wen Jiabao

Premier since 2003, 70-year-old Wen served as vice-premier between 1998 and 2002. Earlier in his career he spent 14 years working in Gansu province’s geological bureau before being promoted in 1982 to vice-minister of geology and mineral resources. Wen graduated from the Beijing Institute of Geology in 1968 and has a master’s degree in geology. He was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee between 2002 and 2012.

The best stories of 2012 from South China Morning Post

30 Dec 2012

It's been a year of unforgettable stories from Hong Kong, China and around the world.

3:36PM

Wen Jiabao

3 Oct 2012

Premier of the PRC

11:05PM

Mixed reviews as Li Keqiang takes centre stage as China's new premier

18 Mar 2013

In his first press conference as premier yesterday, Li Keqiang showed a style that starkly contrasted his predecessor, Wen Jiabao, with almost no references to poetry or any sentimental remarks....

5:28AM

Wen Jiabao bows out after 10 years as premier

16 Mar 2013

Wen Jiabao bowed out of political life yesterday, formally handing the premiership to Li Keqiang after 10 years in the job.

Li became the new premier after a ceremonial election at the...

7:41AM

Small issues could grow into big trouble

11 Mar 2013

As reporters gathered in Beijing last week for the National People's Congress, one of the phrases we heard most was "milk powder".

5:18AM

Wen regrets not preventing his children doing business in China, reports say

6 Mar 2013

Despite the 11 failures China’s outgoing premier Wen Jiabao openly acknowledged in his last work report on Tuesday, sources say he omitted another important

7:20PM

Opinion

Attempts to diversify China's reserves have been a disaster

4:45AM

Howard Winn

China is like the EU; provinces are its member states

5:26AM

Wen Jiabao era leaves promises to keep

A decade is a long time in politics, particularly for someone put in charge of the day-to-day running of a country as dynamic and diverse as China. Yet outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao has persevered...

2:51AM

Premier Wen Jiabao focuses on shadow banking risks for first time

The government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday singled out risks in the mainland's financial sector for the first time. That reflects mounting concerns over the default...

1:35PM

Wen Jiabao's land pledge to farmers up to next cabinet to implement

Legislation meant to lift farmers' share of profits from land sales, which outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao vowed to introduce before the end of his term, has been left in the hands of the next cabinet...

6:24AM

Premier Wen Jiabao gives his government mixed marks in work report

While most deputies at the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing praised the retiring leader, the public, and especially internet users and microbloggers, were...

6:30AM

2 comments

Wen devotes fewer words to Hong Kong, Macau at NPC

Wen dropped references to "developing the economy", "improving people's livelihoods" and "facilitating democracy" in the two cities, a feature of previous reports.

9:09AM

Live updates of China's annual NPC meeting: behind the scenes and more

Continuous updates of China's annual week-long legislative session in Beijing, from China-watchers and SCMP journalists at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

2:55PM