Leadership reshuffle continues ahead of China’s national congress in autumn

A new round of reshuffles involving regional party bosses and government heads in seven provinces has begun, ahead of the party’s once-every-five-years national congress to be held this autumn.

The changes in Guangdong, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Hainan, Gansu, Sichuan and Shandong provinces were announced on Saturday.

Liu Cigui, 61, was named party secretary for Hainan, replacing Luo Baoming, 64. And Wang Sanyun, 64, was replaced as party head of Gansu by his deputy Lin Duo, Xinhua reported, citing a decision by the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

Liu has long been considered a close ally to President Xi Jinping, having worked as Xi’s subordinate in Fujian province. Lin reportedly has close relations with the party’s top graft-buster Wang Qishan, from his time serving under Wang when he was Beijing mayor.

On the other hand, the out­going Luo and Wang Sanyun are both regarded as key members of the “Youth League faction” after spending years on the league’s Central Committee.