Beijing names 2 provincial bosses as reshuffle begins

Beijing yesterday announced the appointment of two provincial party secretaries, marking the start of a reshuffle that will shape the political lineup ahead of the key 18th party congress in 2012. The two rising stars are Hubei governor Li Hongzhong , 54, and Jiangsu governor Luo Zhijun, 59, who become party bosses of their provinces. Both are alternative members of the Communist Party's central committee. Joseph Cheng Yu-shek, a professor of political science at City University, said the promotions meant they would become full members of the elite central committee at the 18th party congress. A seat on the central committee gives them a prestigious vote to decide on the lineup of the Politburo. 'Since they are among the first appointments at the ministerial and provincial level it will have a certain demonstrative effect in that people will study why they got promoted,' Cheng said. Li's promotion is a surprise to many after a public outburst at the annual session of the National People's Congress in March this year when he shocked local and overseas media by snatching a woman reporter's recorder after she asked him about a national scandal in his province. The scandal took place in 2009 when a female massage parlour worker killed a local official who attempted to rape her. Li famously asked the reporter: 'Which newspaper do you work for? ... I will talk to your editor-in-chief about your question,' before he confiscated her recorder. The incident sparked a major public outcry on the mainland and in Hong Kong, with some political observers commenting at the time that it could affect Li's promotion prospects. The mainland press was full of opinion pieces demanding that the governor apologise to the reporter, but he never did. Cheng said yesterday that a local official being able to carry out the tasks given to him by his superiors is more important than his public image. Li is the former secretary of Li Tieying , the former vice-chairman of the National People's Congress, and is also said to have the support of Politburo standing committee member Li Changchun , who is in charge of ideology and culture. Li Changchun was party boss of Guangdong from 1998 to 2002. Li Hongzhong made the leap from Huizhou city party boss to Guangdong vice-governor in 2001 and later became party secretary of Shenzhen from 2005 to 2007. In contrast to Li, Luo has never been in the national media spotlight. He is known for his Youth League background and his close relations with Li Yuanchao , head of the party's Department of Organisation. Li Yuanchao, also from the Youth League of the Communist Party, is well known to be an ally of President Hu Jintao . Li Yuanchao and Luo were parachuted into Jiangsu around the same time, while Li became the provincial party secretary and Luo, party secretary of Nanjing , the capital city of the province. Luo started his bureaucratic career on the China Youth Daily, a pro-reform media organisation in the 1980s. 'But he was on the management side and played no role in editorial planning,' one former employee of the newspaper said. With two years to go to the party's 18th national congress, when Hu is expected to retire according to the party's previous practice, around half of the provincial-level administrative divisions in the mainland have had new bosses sharing the same organisational background with Hu - especially in the Communist Youth League 20 or so years ago. Officials with experience as leaders of the Youth League are usually called the 'Youth League clique' in mainland political circles, while those with parents once in high positions are usually called the 'club of the princelings'. But Hong Kong-based commentator Jin Zhong , said the so-called Youth League clique was not an important phenomenon as perceived by many. He said he didn't expect the newly promoted officials, with or without the Youth League background, to make a lasting contribution to China. The governorship of Hubei was taken over by Wang Guosheng, 55, while that of Jiangsu province by Li Xueyong, 60. Wang had been working as one of the provincial administrators in Jiangsu, while Li had been working party chief of the Ministry Science and Technology. The 18th party congress will mark the change of fourth- to fifth-generation of its leadership. Xi Jinping , now vice-president, is likely to succeed Hu Jintao as party secretary general. Li Keqiang , now vice-premier, is likely to be premier.