Wuhan party chief on track to become Hubei governor after winning plaudits for handling of Covid-19 outbreak
- Wang Zhonglin caused controversy for saying the city should be grateful to Xi Jinping and the party for coronavirus response but his performance pleased Beijing
- Wang and Hubei party boss Ying Yong, who is also tipped for promotion, were brought in amid a purge of provincial leaders at the height of the pandemic
Wuhan’s Communist Party chief Wang Zhonglin is on track to become the governor of Hubei province after rising up the party hierarchy.
Wang, 59, who was appointed to the Wuhan role last year at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak, has been appointed as the new provincial deputy secretary and head of the provincial government’s Communist Party group, the official Hubei Daily newspaper reported.
These two positions were previously held by the current governor Wang Xiaodong, who is expected to step down soon, putting the other Wang on track to succeed him as head of the provincial government.
The governor disappeared from public view for more than a month in September raising concerns about his health.
Former Shanghai mayor Ying Yong – whom Wang joined in a Labour Day public appearance after being confirmed in his new positions – was also brought in to replace Jiang Chaoliang as the Hubei party chief.