[1] You Quan was born in Beijing, but by Chinese convention he is considered a native of his ancestral home Lulong County, Hebei province.

In March 2008, he became a Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council, a minister-level post, working under Ma Kai.

[1] In December 2012, You Quan was appointed the Party Committee Secretary of coastal Fujian province, succeeding Sun Chunlan who was transferred to Tianjin municipality.

[1] In 2017, You Quan was elevated to the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party and appointed Director of the United Front Work Department of the CCP Central Committee.

[1] In 2018, at a meeting with leaders of China's minority parties he emphasized their importance for external propaganda purposes and instructed part leaders to “talk about the ‘China story’ of multiparty cooperation.”[4] On January 15, 2021, You Quan was designated by U.S. Department of State as connected with the National Security Law (NSL), pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.)