China Minsheng Banking Corporation's chairman of the board, Jing Shuping, enters the room with a patrician air. Tall and silver haired, his mandarin carries traces of his home town, Shanghai, as does his elegantly tailored suit. His charm and friendliness are pleasantly old-fashioned.
This man is a living legend in Chinese banking circles. He was a prominent entrepreneur in pre-revolutionary Shanghai, where he traded gold, and built up a cigarette and chemicals business. And despite the ups and down he must have been through after Shanghai's untrammeled capitalism was checked by the Communist Party, he looks in excellent health.
Jing Shuping met up with FinanceAsia in a traditionally appointed meeting room in the company's...
