Jiang Yikang, a future Chongqing party secretary?

Shandong party secretary Jiang Yikang , tipped by some to become Chongqing party boss after the Communist Party's national congress next month, built up political capital working in the general office of the party's Central Committee for 17 years.

The position in Zhongnanhai, the leadership compound in central Beijing, gave him access to senior state leaders and he worked under five chiefs: Qiao Shi , Wang Zhaoguo , Wen Jiabao , Zeng Qinghong and Wang Gang .

Jiang started his career in Jinan , Shandong's provincial capital, in 1975, working in the city's publicity department.

He spent three years working in various government departments in Jinan before being transferred to a junior post in the general office of the Central Committee in December 1985.

He joined the general office again in 1995 as deputy director after spending three years in a bureau overseeing agencies directly under the Central Committee. He left the general office and was appointed deputy Chongqing party boss in October 2002.

Johnny Lau Yui-siu, a Hong Kong-based political commentator, said Jiang's time in the general office would have helped him establish relationships but would not be a decisive factor in any future promotion.