Yang was born in Jungar Banner in what was Ih Ju League of Inner Mongolia near the modern city of Ordos, and is of ethnic Mongol ancestry.

Yang shouldered major responsibility as Inner Mongolia Chairman when a turbine factory in Ulanqab League collapsed in July 2005, killing six workers.

Several months later at the 12th National People's Congress, Yang was appointed Secretary General of the State Council in Li Keqiang's cabinet.

[3] In October 2017, at the 19th National Congress of the CCP, Yang Jing's name did not appear on the list of members of the 19th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

[7] On February 24, 2018, Yang Jing was placed on one-year probation within the CCP, removal from his administrative post, and demoted from deputy state to ministerial level for violations of regulations.