China’s former propaganda chief Huang Kunming gets top Guangdong job in key reshuffle

Huang replaces Li Xi in the economic powerhouse southern province, confirming earlier Post report

He became the party’s top propaganda official and was elevated to the Politburo five years ago

Reading Time:3 minutes

Huang Kunming has spent most of his political career in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, where he worked under Xi Jinping. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 11:57am, 28 Oct 2022Updated: 7:30pm, 28 Oct 2022

Former Chinese propaganda boss Huang Kunming has been appointed to the top job in Guangdong province, confirming an earlier report by the South China Morning Post.

The appointment of Huang as the province’s Communist Party secretary was made public on Friday evening by state news agency Xinhua.

It is one of a number of key appointments expected to follow the unveiling of a new leadership line-up on Sunday after the party’s national congress.

Huang, who has been China’s top propaganda and ideology official since 2017, was expected to replace Li Xi as Guangdong party boss, sources earlier told the Post.

Li was promoted to the all-powerful Politburo Standing Committee during last week’s congress and has also taken over as head of the party’s anti-corruption watchdog.

Huang, now 65, was appointed head of the central party propaganda department and given a seat on the Politburo five years ago. He has spent most of his political career in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, where he worked under then party chief Xi Jinping, who secured a groundbreaking third term as general secretary in the recently concluded congress.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x