Dr. Ch'en Chin-tao was born at Nan Hai Hsien, Kuangtung Province, in 1870. He received his education and was graduated from Queen's College, Hongkong. After graduation he became instructor at Queen's College and later went north and became professor at Pei Yang University. Dr. Ch'en went to America in 1901 to pursue his higher education with government support. He studied mathematics and Social Science at Columbia University during 1901-1902. After graduating with the degree of M. S. in 1902, he entered Yale University and studied Political Economy and was graduated with the degree of Ph. D. in 1906, the subject of his doctor's thesis being "Societary Circulation." Dr. Ch'en returned to China in 1906 and was the same year made a Hanlin by the Imperial Court. He held successively the following positions in the Ching Regime: Educational Inspector at Canton; Educational Inspector at Peking; Inspector of the TaChing Government Bank; Chief of the Budget Department of the Board of Finance; Chief of the Department of Statistics of the same Board; Vice-Director of the Bureau of Printing and Engraving; Chairman of the Currency Reform Commission; Vice-Governor of the Ta-Ching Government Bank; Member of the Tzu Cheng Yuan; Vice-President of the Board of Finance in Yuan Shih-kai's Cabinet. Early in 1912 Dr. Ch'en was appointed Minister of Finance under the Provisional government. Later he was Chinese representative to the International Conference of Chambers of Commerce held in Boston. He was also the Commissioner sent to select a site for the Chinese Government Pavilion at the Panama-Pacific Exposition, San Francisco. In September 1912 Dr. Ch'en was appointed Director of the Audit Bureau under the Cabinet. This appointment was made sometime before his return to China. In October 1913 he was appointed Financial Commissioner to Europe. For a long time Dr. Ch'en acted as Advisor to the President. On June 23, 1916, Dr. Ch'en was appointed Minister of Finance and to hold concurrently the post of Director General of the Salt Administration. On June 30 he was appointed concurrently Minister of Foreign Affairs. This latter position he held until October 1916. In May 1917 he was removed from the Finance post as a result of a plot by political opponent. He was charged with embezzling public funds and was prosecuted by the court. In February 1918 he was exonerated by special mandate of the President. In 1920 Dr. Ch'en, being recognized as one of China's best financial experts, was appointed Minister of Finance by the Canton Military government. He is the author of many standard works among which are Distribution of Wealth,” “Public School in the Four Countries." He has been awarded the Second Order of Pao-Kuang Tashou Chiaho.
