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Xinjiang: another official transfers to sensitive region ahead of Communist Party congress
- Zhang Zhu will head up the Organisation Department, which handles human resources and assigns roles to cadres, government source says
- He has a background in poverty alleviation work and is the latest senior cadre to be sent to the far western region in recent years
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A senior cadre with a background in poverty alleviation work will take over as head of the Communist Party’s human resources unit in the sensitive Xinjiang region, according to a government source.
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Zhang Zhu is the latest senior official to be sent to the far western region amid an ongoing crackdown, and ahead of a top-level leadership reshuffle at the party congress in Beijing next year.
China faces growing international criticism and pressure over its policies in Xinjiang and alleged human rights abuses against the region’s Uygurs and other Muslim minorities. Beijing has defended its policies, saying it is trying to prevent terrorism and religious extremism and to reduce poverty in the region.
At 53, Zhang – who is transferring from the Ningxia Hui region – is the youngest person to be appointed to Xinjiang’s Communist Party Standing Committee, the official Xinjiang Daily reported on Friday.
The report did not say what his role would be, but a Xinjiang government source speaking on condition of anonymity said Zhang would head up the party’s Organisation Department – a division which handles human resources and assigns roles to cadres.
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The position was left vacant when Li Yifei, who has only been in Xinjiang since May, was promoted to the job of deputy party chief, in charge of education – a policy priority for Beijing.
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