Round two begins in the guessing game of who will replace new elite

Close allies of outgoing Vice-President Zeng tipped to take up top posts

Sweeping changes to the Communist Party's all-powerful Politburo, unveiled on Monday, have prompted a new round of speculation: who will fill the vacancies left by those elevated to the upper echelon of power?

While the guessing game has just begun over who will succeed two of President Hu Jintao's closest allies, Li Keqiang in Liaoning and Li Yuanchao in Jiangsu, another duo believed to be close to outgoing Vice-President Zeng Qinghong have been tipped to take up top posts in Beijing and the Ministry of Security.

Jiangxi party chief Meng Jianzhu has been chosen to succeed Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang , who has been elevated to the Politburo Standing Committee, the apex of the country's power structure, sources said.

Wang Anshun , who was transferred from Shanghai to become Beijing's deputy party chief early this year, will become the capital's mayor, taking the place of another rising star, new Politburo member Wang Qishan , according to the sources.

Wang Qishan, a renowned troubleshooter who was made Beijing mayor in 2003 in the wake of the Sars outbreak, is in line to become a vice-premier in the government reshuffle in March.