Guangzhou mayor's party post
Guangzhou mayor Lin Shusen has been confirmed as the city's new party secretary. Mr Lin, 55, replaces Huang Huahua, who was appointed a Guangdong vice-governor on Sunday and is almost certain to replace governor Lu Ruihua next year.
Mr Lin's promotion to head the Guangdong Communist Party Standing Committee also was announced at a special meeting of the Guangzhou Communist Party Committee on Thursday, Xinhua reported yesterday.
The two highest-ranking members of the Guangdong party standing committee, party secretary Li Changchun and Mr Lu, attended the enlarged meeting and praised the work of Mr Lin and Mr Huang. Both, they said, had helped the city maintain rapid development while managing financial risk - a reference to the crisis sparked by the bankruptcy of Guangdong International Trust and Investment Corp in 1998.
They also were praised for infrastructure and civic improvements that have transformed central Guangzhou over the past four years - and for the city's Nansha initiative.
Nansha is a pet project of Mr Lin, with which Guangzhou hopes to challenge Hong Kong's regional position by building a deep-water port and other heavy industrial facilities over the next 10 to 15 years.
Mr Lin is likely to be succeeded by one of two vice-mayors - Zhang Guangning or Lin Yuanhe.
A native of Shantou, Lin Shusen rose through the ranks of the Huizhou municipal and Guangdong provincial governments. In 1996, he was transferred to Guangzhou, becoming mayor a year later.
Mr Lin's appointment also raises further questions about the prospects of former executive vice-governor Ou Guangyuan, who was removed from his government post this week to make way for Mr Huang.
Hong Kong media reports have suggested Mr Ou would take over as Guangzhou party secretary.
