The Communist Party yesterday appointed a close ally of President Hu Jintao as the party chief of southwestern powerhouse Sichuan province , in a string of key personnel changes also involving Guangdong, Chongqing and Anhui .
Liu Qibao , 54, a protege of Mr Hu, replaces Du Qinglin , 61, as the party secretary of Sichuan, the People's Daily reported yesterday.
The newspaper also said Mr Du, who was widely tipped to take charge of the party's United Front Work Department, would be 'entrusted with an important position'.
Both the new Sichuan party chief and his predecessor have backgrounds in the Communist Youth League, Mr Hu's power base.
Mr Liu, a former party boss of Guangxi , is considered to be one of the rising stars among the fifth generation of leaders.
Like Mr Hu, he is a native of Anhui and once held the top position in the secretariat of the central committee of the youth league.