Having pursued the sport since age 12, Yang trained full-time as a member of the Chinese shooting team, at the sports academy in Chengde, under his personal coach and 2000 Olympic champion Cai Yalin.

[1][2] Yang took part in his first international competition as a 17-year-old at the 2013 ISSF World Cup final meet in Munich, Germany, where he claimed the gold medal in the 10 m air rifle, finishing in first with 205.9 points, ahead of World Champion Niccolo Campriani.

[3] When China hosted the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, Yang maintained a comfortable lead over the rest of the field to win the gold medal for his team in the boys' 10 m air rifle with a record of 209.3.

Yang's win vaulted him to the top of the world rankings and also granted him one of the six Olympic quota places for Rio 2016.

[6][7] On his senior debut at the Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Yang added another individual gold to his career tally by leading the medal haul for China in the 10 m air rifle with a score of 209.6 points.