Chinese leader Xi Jinping's trusted Fujian protégés are ones to watch in next party congress, say analysts
President Xi Jinping has put his faith in many officials that hail from, or worked in, the coastal province where he spent more than 17 years.
From public security to national security, economic planning to propaganda work, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan affairs to international liaison, former Fujian officials now hold offices across a broad range of different central government and party central committee departments.
President Xi Jinping has put his faith in many officials that hail from, or worked in, the coastal province where he spent more than 17 years.
He first arrived in Fujian in 1985, as deputy mayor of Xiamen city. Xi then rose through the ranks to become a provincial leader. He left for Zhejiang province in 2002 as deputy party chief and governor of Fujian. Since gaining power in 2012, Xi has promoted many of his Fujian protégés to ministries, departments and committees.
They may not all be highly ranked, but analysts said they were important in helping Xi implement his policies - and some may face bright political futures as the 19th party congress looms. Most of these trusted officials worked under Xi in the province in the late 1980s and the 1990s.
He Lifeng, 60, for example, was Xiamen's financial chief when Xi was the city's deputy mayor in charge of finance from 1985 to 1988. Today He is deputy director of China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission.
Fujian native Cai Qi, 59, who worked for Xi from 1993 to 1996, as deputy director of the Fujian provincial party committee's general office, is deputy director of the National Security Commission's general office.