Reshuffle sees new vice-mayor in Shanghai

Shanghai has appointed Hu Yan- zhao as vice-mayor, taking over the key foreign and Hong Kong affairs portfolios from Jiang Sixian , who has been promoted to a higher Communist Party position, state media and officials said yesterday.

Sources described the leadership reshuffle as normal as the city tried to make government bureaucracy appear more professional. Most of the city's top officials have worked their way up through the local government and party ranks.

Mr Jiang, regarded by observers as a rising star, will become a member of the standing committee of the local party branch and head of the party's powerful organisation department.

Several former Shanghai officials have moved on to take high-level positions in the central government, including former party chief and president Jiang Zemin and ex-premier Zhu Rongji .

Jiang Sixian recently stepped down from a short term as head of Pudong district, the city's premier development zone. He was involved in planning the 2010 World Expo and negotiations to bring the Universal Studios and Walt Disney theme parks to Pudong.

Mr Hu, 53, will become one of eight vice-mayors, handling Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau affairs as well as the diverse duties of managing Pudong, overseas Chinese and religion.