（By Dr. Hsu Sheng-tai, Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, Tamkang University）
The annual provincial “Two Sessions” of the Communist Party of China (CPC) had successively convened and concluded in January. Following some changes in the provincial and autonomous region leadership, including party secretaries, governors, chairpersons of autonomous regions, and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) last year, elections were held as customary for leadership of the provincial People's Congress, the government, and the CPPCC. The elections resulted in the appointments of 9 new chairpersons of the Standing Committees of the People's Congress, 4 new governors (or chairpersons of autonomous regions), and 2 new CPPCC chairpersons taking office.
In terms of chairpersons of the Standing Committees of the People's Congress, 9 individuals were elected, including Huang Qiang (Party Secretary of Jilin Province), Wang Hao (Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province), Wang Zhonglin (Party Secretary of Hubei Province), Liu Ning (Party Secretary of Henan Province), Liang Yanshun (Party Secretary of Anhui Province), Wu Xiaojun (Party Secretary of Qinghai Province), Chen Gang (Party Secretary of Guangxi Autonomous Region), Li Yifei (Party Secretary of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region), and Yan Jinhai (Party Secretary of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region). Among them, Liu Ning was born in 1962, and Chen Gang in 1965, both holding doctoral degrees. They previously served as Party Secretaries in Guangxi and Qinghai, respectively, and are now serving as Party Secretaries for a second term. Wu Xiaojun was born in 1966 and previously served as Vice Governor of Jiangxi and Governor of Qinghai. He is currently the youngest Party Secretary at the age of 59. Chen Gang, Wu Xiaojun, Zhao Yide (Party Secretary of Shaanxi Province), and Zhou Zuyi (Party Secretary of Fujian Province) all belong to the generation of Provincial Party Secretaries born after 1965 (the “post-65”). Compared to former General Secretary Hu Jintao who became Party Secretary of Guizhou Province at the age of 43, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC Hu Chunhua, became Party Secretary of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at the age of 46, and former Chongqing Party Secretary, Sun Zhengcai, who became Party Secretary of Jilin Province at the age of 46, the aging of current leading cadres is an undeniable reality. The delay in promoting younger leaders is a significant concern for the post-Xi Jinping era.
At the provincial government level, Liu Jie, Li Dianxun, Luo Dongchuan, and Gama Zedeng have all been officially promoted from acting potions to full appointments. They were elected as Governors of Zhejiang, Hubei, and Qinghai provinces, as well as Chairperson of the Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region, respectively. Among them, Liu Jie, born in 1970, is the first “post-70” governor. He has held various positions in Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, and Zhejiang. Li Dianxun, born in 1967, previously served as Vice Mayor of Chongqing and Vice Governor of Hunan. Gama Zedeng, born in 1967, long served in Tibet, and used to assume the Director of the Department of Science, Technology, and Education in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. He is the first “post-65” Tibetan official holding a full ministerial-level position. The three of them are all alternate members of the 20th Central Committee and, together with Yin Yong (Mayor of Beijing), Shi Xiaolin (Governor of Sichuan), Zhao Gang (Governor of Shaanxi), and Zhao Long (Governor of Fujian), all belong to the group of provincial (or municipal) governors born after 1967 and under 60 years of age. Given their ages, there is still room for their political advancement.
Regarding CPPCC chairpersons, Song Fulong (former Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission) and Zhang Chunlin (former Deputy Party Secretary of Shanxi) were elected as CPPCC Chairpersons of Jiangxi and Shanxi, respectively, to fill vacancies left by Tang Yijun and Wu Cunrong due to corruption. Among them, Song Fulong, born in 1964, has served many years in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI). He is a member of the 20th CCDI and is in a cross-provincial transfer with this appointment. Zhang Chunlin, born in 1965, served in Xinjiang for over 20 years before being transferred to Shanxi in 2023.
In summary, the current practice in mainland China is for Provincial Party Secretaries to also serve as the chairpersons of the Standing Committees of the People's Congress, except for the directly administered municipalities and the provinces of Guandong, Xinjiang, and Tibet. It would help the top local leaders fully control personnel appointments and policy decisions, ensuring centralized and unified leadership by the Party Central Committee. However, the integration of legislative and executive bodies together could inevitably create fertile ground for corruption, as seen in the case of former Guizhou Party Secretary Sun Zhigang, who abused his authority for personal gains, serving as a cautionary example.
In September 2022, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee issued “Provisions on Advancing Capacity to Promote and Demote Leading Cadres,” aiming to create an environment where “capable cadres are promoted, the excellent are rewarded, the mediocre are demoted and the incompetent are removed.” It suggests that age is not the primary factor for the promotion or demotion of cadres. During the ongoing anti-corruption campaign, being labeled as a "successor" or "heir" could become a target for downfall in the future. This year, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng, Liaoning Party Secretary Hao Peng, and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Party Secretary Sun Shaopin are expected to retire due to age. Next year, Party Secretaries of Yunnan and Heilongjiang, Wang Ning and Xu Qin, along with Governors (mayor) of Hunan, Tianjin, Shandong, and Xinjiang, Mao Weiming, Zhang Gong, Zhou Naixiang, and Aierken Tuniyazi, will also be reaching retirement age. The “post-65” cadres will gradually take center stage and become strong candidates for members of the 21st Central Politburo.
（Translated to English by Tracy Chou）
