Chinese coal heavyweight to take on top job in Tianjin

The head of the China’s biggest coal miner is tipped to be a vice-mayor of Tianjin, sources said on Monday.

Shenhua Group chairman Zhang Yuzhuo would take over from Zong Guoying, who was expected to be transferred to be a vice-governor of Yunnan province.

A Beijing-based source said Zhang bid farewell to colleagues at the resources giant on Sunday afternoon before heading to Tianjin.

Zhang would also become a standing committee member of the Communist Party’s Tianjin committee.

A Tianjin-based business source confirmed the new appointment.

Shenhua Group issued a statement on Monday night, saying Zhang had resigned with immediate effect. Ling Wen, Zhang’s deputy, would be acting chairman, the statement said.

Zhang, 55, is a specialist in clean coal technology and was appointed to head the flagship miner in May 2014.

He worked in Hong Kong for five years after he was named Shenhua International (Hong Kong) chairman in 2005.

Zong, 53, was promoted to Tianjin’s vice-mayor in early 2013 after 15 years of service in the city.