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On 17 September 2019, former All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese Vice Chairman Li Bo (李波) went to Chongqing Securities Regulatory Bureau for an inspection tour as Chongqing municipal government CCP committee member, indicating that he has been appointed as Chongqing Vice Mayor. His appointment was later confirmed on 26 September 2019. Li Bo has an extraordinary background, for that he was a “returned” official who went to the United States and earned a Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University and a J.D. from Harvard University. At Stanford, Li studied under Nobel Laureate Kenneth Arrow. Li started his career as a lawyer in New York, before returning to China in 2004 to the PBOC—China’s central bank—as Department of Treaty and Law Deputy Director. He was appointed Department of Treaty and Law Director in 2008 at age 36, becoming one of the youngest full-departmental officials at the time. In that role, Li was key to the legislation of anti-money laundering and foreign exchange management, as well as to the reform of state-owned commercial banks. Li was also a key official in RMB internationalization, during his tenure at PBOC’s Department of Monetary Policy II. Chongqing has been lacking a vice mayor since former vice mayor Li Dianxun (李殿勋) was appointed Hunan CCPSC member in May 2019.

On 16 September 2019, former Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Vice Governor Tan Jiong (谭炯) appeared publicly in a Guizhou CCPSC meeting, confirming the earlier rumor that he has been appointed to the local government. His appointment as Guizhou Vice Governor was later confirmed on 27 September 2019. Guizhou has been lacking a vice governor since former vice governor Pu Bo (蒲波) was ousted in May 2018.

On 4 September 2019, it was made public that former Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology (SAST) President and Shanghai Aerospace Industry Company (SAIC) Chairman Dai Shoulun (代守仑) has been appointed Harbin Vice Party Secretary. Defense technocrats with aerospace background and experience in China’s defense R&D coordinator State Administration of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) and its predecessor Commission of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense (COSTIND) have been systematically favored in Xi’s China. Currently, 11 full-ministerial officials come from defense industry background, including eight Central Committee full members and two Central Committee alternate member. Eight of them are provincial party secretaries or governors.

On 30 August 2019, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) Chairman Hu Wenming (胡问鸣) and State Development and Investment Corporation (SDIC) Chairman Wang Huisheng (王会生) both retired due to approaching and reaching age limit set for central SOE managers. The retirement of Hu and Wang opens the new wave of SOE personnel reshuffle—there are almost a dozen central SOE leaders—those managed by State Asset Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC)—reaching the required age limit of 63 within this year and next year. We expect most of them to retire on or before their 63rd birthday.

News: Former Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jinsong (刘劲松) was appointed Director of Policy Planning at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Quick Take: Born in 1972, Liu Jinsong is one of the youngest departmental-level directors at MFA. With a master’s degree from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, his resume is extremely well-rounded compared to many of his peers: before becoming Chinese ambassador to Afghanistan, Liu held embassy posts in Thailand, Japan, the UK, and India. He also worked on Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan affairs, in addition to several posts within MFA’s policy research and economic affairs departments. From 2012-2015, Liu served as MFA liaison to Silk Road Fund, where he took a board seat at one of China’s largest state-owned funds investing in the Belt and Road region. With his young age and rich experience in both policy planning and foreign service, Liu is a rising star within MFA and likely being groomed for vice-ministerial level positions.

News: Former Ningxia Department of Justice party secretary-general Chen Dongqiao (陈栋桥) is held under investigation. Quick Take: Ningxia has not had a peaceful summer thus far. More than a handful of senior provincial officials have been put under investigation in the past two months. Among them, two were top police force officials who had extended working relationships with Chen. Unseated a month after his peers, Chen was a lecturer at the police university in Ningxia before he worked for three decades in Ningxia’s public security departments. The reshuffle of senior officials in Ningxia may create a window for the central government to directly appoint high-ranking personnel to the autonomous region.

News: The Shanxi Higher People’s Court had its new vice party secretary and vice president Guan Shiying (管应时). Quick Take: Guan has a well-rounded resume. Previously, he had worked in a local court in Anhui Province before being appointed to the Supreme People’s Court. Two months ago, Guan was promoted to a first-rank Senior Judge, making him one step away from the 50-strong Grand Justices group. However, he is not likely to achieve that goal in Shanxi, as his boss, the president of Shanxi higher court, just started his position months before him.

News: Hu Huaibang (胡怀邦), former party secretary and chairman of China Development Bank has been put under investigation. Quick Take: This has been the most high-profile case in the financial industry lately, though Hu’s investigation is not a total surprise. In October 2018, Hu was mentioned twice in the sentencing of Wang Sanyun (王三运), former Gansu party secretary who had been investigated since July 2017. Through Hu, Wang was able to provide financial assistance to companies close to him. Wang and Hu had extensive working relationship during Wang’s tenure in Gansu: China Development Bank made several major loans/investments in support of Gansu’s development. A scholar-official with more than a hundred academic publications, Hu’s stellar contribution wasn’t able to save him from the troubles he created in Gansu and potentially beyond.

News: Liaoning vice governor Li Jinke (李金科) was transferred to Ningxia to lead the publicity department of CCP in Ningxia. Quick Take: Li is the youngest member of the CCP standing committee (CCPSC) in Ningxia. Prior to this new assignment, he has served in Liaoning provincial government for 24 years, and made his way up from a general office staffer to vice governor. A local native Manchu—an ethnic minority in China—Li is the third official with an ethnic minority background assigned to a new job this month, and the fifth Manchu to join a provincial CPPSC.