ExclusiveSon of former Chinese premier Li Peng tipped to take over Communist Party helm at state enterprise watchdog
Appointment of Li Xiaopeng would mark rare reshuffle of top two jobs in same province, in changes set to pave the way for a changing of the guard at next year’s party congress
Li Xiaopeng, the governor of coal-rich Shanxi province and the son of former premier Li Peng, is tipped to become the new Communist Party boss of the regulator of top state-owned enterprises, sources in Shanxi and Beijing told the South China Morning Post.
Xinhua also reported yesterday that Qinghai party chief Luo Huining would succeed Li Xiaopeng’s boss, Shanxi party chief Wang Rulin, confirming a Post report on Wednesday.
Analysts said the reshuffle of provincial and ministerial chiefs announced this week paved the way for a changing of the guard at the five-yearly party congress scheduled for late next year.
If officially confirmed, Li Xiaopeng’s appointment would be a rare instance of a party chief and governor of the same province being replaced at the same time.
Shanxi was one of the “disaster zones” targeted by President Xi Jinping’s anti-graft campaign and was described as suffering from a “landslide of corruption” among provincial officials. It is also the home of disgraced presidential aide Ling Jihua, who was allegedly the leader of the “Shanxi Gang” of senior officials and businesspeople with ties to the province.