19 Facts About Chen Jintao

Chen Jintao was a Chinese technocrat who founded the Bank of China.

Chen Jintao was chief financial officer and head of currency reform in the Republic of China and served as finance minister for warlords in Beijing, Nationalists in Nanjing, and the Nanjing Regime.

Chen Jintao graduated from Columbia University and Yale University and served as an economics professor of Tsinghua University.

Chen Jintao is regarded as one of China's most skilled economists and bankers in the 20th century.

Chen Jintao was born in Nanhai in Guangdong Province in 1870, the son of a merchant from Hong Kong.

Chen Jintao received a master's degree in math from Columbia University in 1902.

Chen Jintao received a doctorate in political economy from Yale University in 1906.

In 1908, Chen Jintao was appointed deputy director of the bureau of printing and engraving and sent on a mission overseas to investigate methods of postage stamp production.

Chen Jintao concluded that American printing techniques were the best at preventing counterfeiting.

Chen Jintao hired two American experts, William A Grant and Lorenzo J Hatch, to upgrade China's postage stamp manufacturing.

When he returned to China, Chen Jintao was appointed head of a currency reform board.

Chen Jintao did not take up the post as he was abroad attending currency-related conferences.

When he returned to China in September 1912, Chen Jintao was appointed the chief financial officer and head of the central audit office in Beijing.

In 1916, Chen Jintao was promoted to finance minister by Prime Minister Duan Qirui.

When Duan was dismissed in May 1917, Chen Jintao was arrested for embezzlement.

Chen Jintao returned to public service when Duan was restored as premier in November 1924.

Chen Jintao retained this post until he died in June 1939.

Chen Jintao was responsible for significant improvements in printing and engraving, as well as founding the Bank of China.

Chen Jintao was apparently indifferent as to whether the government was imperialist, militarist, Nationalist, or collaborationist.