Early life and education

A native of Xingguo County, Jiangxi province, Guo Shengkun was born on 16 October 1954. Guo entered the workforce in 1973 during the Cultural Revolution as a sent-down youth at an agricultural commune in his native hometown, and joined the CCP in December 1974. From 1977 to 1979 he studied mining at the Jiangxi Institute of Metallurgy (now Jiangxi University of Science and Technology).{{cite web |script-title=zh:郭声琨简历 |trans-title=Biography of Guo Shengkun |url=http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/64242/6835256.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123231425/http://cpc.people.com.cn/GB/64242/6835256.html |archive-date=2013-01-23 |access-date=2013-02-07 |publisher=People's Daily |language=zh-Ha s}}{{cite web |date= |title=Guo Shengkun 郭声琨 |url=https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/china_20171025_19thpartycongress_guo_shengkun.pdf |access-date=26 September 2024 |publisher=Brookings Institution}}

Career

= Metal industry =

Starting in 1979 Guo worked in the non-ferrous metal industry in Jiangxi, rising through the ranks of the Machinery Department of the Ministry of Metallurgical Industry to become its section chief, party secretary, and superintendent. He later became the head of the Huamei’ao Mine of China Non-Ferrous Metal Mining Corporation (CNMC) from 1985 to 1992, the head of the Guixi Silver Mine from 1992 to 1993, the head of the Nanchang Branch of the CNMC in Nanchang from 1993 to 1997, the deputy general manager of the CNMC from 1997 to 1998, and the deputy director of the Ministry of Nonferrous Metals from 1999 to 2000.

In 2000 he led the creation of the state-owned enterprise Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chinalco) and became the General Manager of the company. He also oversaw the dual listings of Chinalco's subsidiary, Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (Chalco), on the New York and Hong Kong stock exchanges.{{cite news |author=Li Jing |date=2012-12-29 |title=Naming of Guo Shengkun as security minister divides opinion |url=http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1114732/naming-guo-shengkun-security-minister-divides-opinion |access-date=2013-02-08 |newspaper=South China Morning Post}}

= Politics =

== Guangxi ==

After more than two decades in the metal industry, in 2004 Guo was transferred to the government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, becoming the deputy party secretary and deputy chairman of the provincial-level region which is rich non-ferrous metal reserves. In November 2007 he succeeded Liu Qibao, who was transferred to Sichuan province, as the Party Secretary of Guangxi. He held the position until December 2012, when he was succeeded by Peng Qinghua.{{cite web |script-title=zh:郭声琨简历 |trans-title=Biography of Guo Shengkun |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2007-12/03/content_7191315.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130209142906/http://news.xinhuanet.com/ziliao/2007-12/03/content_7191315.htm |archive-date=2013-02-09 |access-date=2013-02-07 |publisher=Xinhua News Agency |language=zh-Hans}}

{{stack|File:Third U.S.-China High-Level Joint Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues (31481060662).jpg Jeh Johnson at the third U.S.-China High-Level Joint Dialogue on Cybercrime and Related Issues on December 7, 2016, in Washington, D.C.]]}}

== Minister of Public Security ==

In December 2012 Guo was transferred to the national government to succeed Meng Jianzhu as the Minister of Public Security, China's top policeman. Some political analysts questioned his suitability for the post as he had minimal legal experience. On 16 March 2013 Guo was appointed one of the five State Councilors in China.{{cite web |url=http://www.npc.gov.cn/englishnpc/news/Events/2013-03/16/content_1787503.htm |title=NPC endorses new cabinet lineup |publisher=National People's Congress of China |date=2013-03-16 |access-date=2013-03-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318091356/http://www.npc.gov.cn/englishnpc/news/Events/2013-03/16/content_1787503.htm |archive-date=2013-03-18 |url-status=dead }}

Guo Shengkun was an alternate of the 16th and the 17th Central Committees, and a member of the 18th Central Committee.

==Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission==

In October 2017, after the 19th Party Congress, Guo was appointed as the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CPLAC) and as a member of the CCP Politburo.{{cite web |url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/2017-10/31/c_1121885950.htm |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015135/http://news.xinhuanet.com/2017-10/31/c_1121885950.htm |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 7, 2017 |title = 中央政法委书记郭声琨：以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导奋力开创新时代政法事业新局面 |access-date=2017-10-31 |date=2017-10-31 |agency = Xinhua }} In May 2018, he headed the National Leading Group for the Special Campaign to Crack Down on Organized Crime and Eliminate Evil.{{Cite web |last=Greitens |first=Sheena Chestnut |date=2020-09-02 |title=The Saohei Campaign, Protection Umbrellas, and China’s Changing Political-Legal Apparatus |url=https://www.prcleader.org/post/the-saohei-campaign-protection-umbrellas-and-china-s-changing-political-legal-apparatus |access-date=2025-03-19 |website=China Leadership |language=en}} In February 2021, he headed the National Political and Legal Team Education and Rectification Leading Group.{{Cite web |title=政法队伍如何清除害群之马、整治顽瘴痼疾？ |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2021-03/02/c_1127155749.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210304100818/http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2021-03/02/c_1127155749.htm |archive-date=2021-03-04 |access-date=2021-06-07}} He stepped down from the Politburo and as the CPLAC Secretary in October 2022.