Guangzhou party boss Lin Shusen tipped to be governor of Fujian
Guangzhou Party Secretary Lin Shusen has been assigned to become governor of Fujian, but it is not yet known if he will take up the job. Sources say he is awaiting appointment papers.
'We have known for more than two months that he is going to Fujian but the official notification has not arrived yet,' a source said.
Other sources said the 57-year-old Shantou native, who has aggressively championed Guangzhou's drive to raise its international image, was offered the job at the National People's Congress session in March but initially turned it down.
Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua, meanwhile, was asked to become minister of commerce earlier this year but also declined, the sources said. Instead, Bo Xilai, the former governor of Liaoning, was appointed to the job in March.
Analysts said the two Guangdong cadres felt they could do better in the southern province where they had proven track records and familiarity with their jobs.
Moving to Beijing to take over the ministry would be a promotion for Mr Huang but he is unlikely to climb further, given that he does not have a support base outside Guangdong.
If Mr Lin is posted to Fujian, which lies opposite Taiwan, he will experience difficulties with development due to the threat of war.
Mr Lin was mayor of Guangzhou while Mr Huang was the party boss until they were both promoted early last year.
Mr Lin is credited with transforming Guangzhou from a chaotic and congested city into an orderly metropolis with tree-lined roads and modern infrastructure, although he has been criticised for focusing on image-building projects.
He also has a reputation for making remarks seen as disparaging. Mr Lin once said Singapore was a beautiful city with no culture unlike Guangzhou and said Hong Kong was trying to block his city's development.
Others say he is single-minded, an invaluable quality for the task he has been given since last October to ensure that Guangzhou's university town is completed in time to enrol students for the school year in September.
A pet project of Guangdong Communist Party Secretary Zhang Dejiang , the construction comprises 11 campuses.
The current governor of Fujian, Lu Zhangong, took over from Song Defu in January. Mr Lu is also the province's acting party secretary.
