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.