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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.

News: Former chairman of Zhejiang Commission for Discipline Inspection Ren Zhenhe (任振鹤) is now Jiangsu vice party secretary. Quick Take: A Hubei native, Ren worked in his home province for more than two decades before assuming positions in other provinces. He was promoted to Hubei vice governor in May 2015, and then held four different vice-provincial level positions before being appointed Jiangsu vice party secretary. Born in February 1964, Ren is one of the youngest five provincial vice party secretaries. If no disruptions, he is in a great position to compete for higher offices.

News: Zhejiang vice governor and Wenzhou party secretary Chen Weijun (陈伟俊) joins the Zhejiang party standing committee at age 53. Quick Take: Born in June 1966, Chen is the youngest vice governor and the youngest standing committee member in Zhejiang. A local political star, Chen started his political career from his hometown in Ninghai, and served in several prefectures in Zhejiang. In the past 30 months, he was promoted consecutively from deputy party secretary of Huzhou, a prefecture in Zhejiang to party secretary, then to Zhejiang vice governor and Wenzhou party secretary, and a standing committee member in Zhejiang.

News: Former Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson and information department director-general Lu Kang (陆慷) became North American and Oceanian affairs department head. Former information department deputy director-general Hua Chunying (华春莹) was promoted to replace Lu. Quick Take: Lu had a lot of experience in North America, especially in the US. Lu previously stationed as a minister in the Chinese embassy in the US from 2012 to 2015. Before that, he was deputy director-general of North American and Oceanian affairs department, and had worked in the Chinese delegation to the United Nations early in his career. Lu’s departure from the information department left the top position to Hua Chunying, who is more senior than the other deputy director-general Geng Shuang (耿爽). Typically, MFA will have three spokespersons; information department deputy director-general Yu Dunhai (于敦海) is expected to sub in shortly.