China Leadership Watch

Projections for Top Political Posts Prior to the 12th National People’s Congress

In advance of the 12th National People’s Congress, here is a rundown of who is projected to be promoted or appointed to various posts:  (English version coming soon)

习近平: 中共中央委员会总书记
国家主席
中央军委主席

李克强: 国务院总理

张德江: 全国人大常委会委员长，分管港澳事务

俞正声: 中共全国政协主席

刘云山: 中共国家副主席
中央党校校长
中央精神文明建设指导委员会主任
中央书记处常务书记

王岐山: 中纪委书记

张高丽: 常务副总理，配合李克强打理经济。

刘延东: 国务院副总理
汪  洋: 国务院副总理
马  凯: 国务院副总理
孟建柱: 中共中央政法委书记
赵乐际: 中共中央组织部长
刘奇葆: 中共中央宣传部长
中央精神文明建设指导委员会副主任。
李源潮: 人大副委员长/国家副主席
中共港澳小组副组长，“辅佐”张德江
范长龙: 中央军委常务副主席
许其亮: 中央军委副主席。
郭金龙: 北京市委书记
孙春兰: 天津市委书记
韩  正: 上海市委书记
孙政才: 重庆市委书记
胡春华: 广东省委书记
张春贤: 新疆维吾尔自治区党委书记。
栗战书: 中央办公厅主任
令计划: 统战部部长，政协副主席
李建国: 全国政协第一副主席
王沪宁: 国家科技教育领导小组副组长
国务院学位委员会主任
中央港澳工作协调小组副组长

苗  圩：发改委主任
姜建清：央行行长
楼继伟：财政部长

国务院部长：
李克强：总理
张高丽：（常务）副总理
刘延东：副总理
汪  洋：副总理
马  凯：副总理
常万全（兼国防部长）
杨晶（兼秘书长）
郭声琨（兼公安部长）
杨洁篪：国务委员
张志军：外交部长
常万全（兼）：国防部长
苗  圩：发改委主任
高虎城：商务部长
楼继伟：财政部长
姜建清：央行行长
袁贵仁：教育部长
万钢（兼）：科技部长
郭声琨（兼）：公安部长
杨传堂：交运部长
李立国：民政部长
张  轩：司法部长
黄树贤：监察部长
耿惠昌：国安部长
尹蔚民：人资部长
潘  岳：环保部长
刘  伟：住建部长
陈  雷：水利部长
余欣荣：农业部长
王  侠：计生主任
刘家义：审计署审计长
李  克：民委主任
徐献平：铁道部长
孙志军：文化部长

Breaking News: Sichuan Party Committee Deputy Secretary Li Chuncheng Removed from Office

                                       

This afternoon, according the Xinhua news and the Communist Party’s Central Organizing Bureau, the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee’s Deputy Party Secretary Li Chuncheng was removed from office on charges of grave violations of party discipline.  I was reported earlier that he was already under investigation by the Party’s Central Discipline and Inspection Commission on issues of mismanagement and perhaps even local level corruption.  Nothing yet is being made public, confirmation of his removal and investigation itself is newsworthy.  He was in charge of Chengdu’s civic response post 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and, in the early 2000’s pushed for Chengdu’s urban-country integration, most notably incorporating areas such as Wenchuan and Pixian into a greater Chengdu urban center.

Wusu City, Xinjiang, Head of Public Security Bureau Removed from Office

Even the power of the censored internet in China can still help in bringing down corrupt local officials.  

In the push by the central government to show tangible progress in cracking down on corruption at every level, the head of the Public Security Bureau in Wusu City, Xinjiang was removed from his office pending the results of an official investigation. Following reports of his “mistresses” working for him.

Early last week, the city’s head of the Public Security Bureau (公安局), Qi Fang (齐放) shown above was revealed to have had ‘improper relations’ with a pair of sisters whom he later helped land mid-level positions within his office. The story was initially reported by Feng Jun, a reporter for Beijing News.  In initial findings of the official investigation, as revealed to Xinhua news, not only confirmed the rumors but pointed out a series of discrepancies in Qi Fang’s story.

But Qi Fang is not taking this laying down, in a quote to reporters filed yesterday with Beijing News, Qi Fang’s told the reporter he has been at home with his wife and never had any relations with these women.  When pressed on the fact they, if he had no relations with them, why was his relieved of his post, he replied, “I don’t know”.

From the report: 齐放对记者说自己“在家陪老婆”，但否认与“两姐妹”保持情人关系。记者追问既然不是情人关系，为何会被免职。齐放回答“不知道”，让记者“等官方消息”。

Standing Committee Candidates Reaffirmed as 18th CPC Central Committee Member

Today the following lead candidates for promotion to the Politburo Standing Committee were elected as full members of the 18th CPC Central Committee, including 王岐山(Wang Qishan)、刘云山(Liu Yunshan)、刘延东(Liu Yandong)、李源潮(Li Yuanchao)、汪洋(Wang Yang)、张高丽(Zhang Gaoli)、张德江(Zhang Dejiang)、俞正声(Yu Zhangshan)

China: New leaders, old policy | Gateway House

Bo Xilai Ejected from the Party, Brought up on Charges

Among the charges being leveled against Bo Xilai are abuse of power, corruption, and improper relations with women on accounts and records going back to his time as head of Liaoning Province.  

According to the investigation, in Chinese: 薄熙来在担任大连市、辽宁省、商务部领导职务和中央政治局委员兼重庆市委书记期间，严重违反党的纪律，在王立军事件和薄谷开来故意杀人案件中滥用职权，犯有严重错误、负有重大责任；利用职权为他人谋利，直接和通过家人收受他人巨额贿赂；利用职权、薄谷开来利用薄熙来的职务影响为他人谋利，其家人收受他人巨额财物；与多名女性发生或保持不正当性关系；违反组织人事纪律，用人失察失误，造成严重后果。

Date Set for the 18th CPC meetings: November 8th

In a report posted on Phoenix TV in Hong Kong, link here, the the seventh meeting of the full committee of the 17th CPC will be held in Beijing on November 1st.  At that meeting, the CPC Politburo will make its suggestions to the 18th CPC meetings set to begin on November 8th

CA 981: Was there a Chinese official fleeing to the US on the Flight?

For the post spreading across in the Chinese web, link here and here:

Chinese media outlets are running with the story that there may have been a Chinese official fleeing authorities on flight CA 981 to New York that turned around to Beijing.  Over 200 heavily armed police conducted an inspection and hours later allowed the flight to continue on the New York.    

The surprising details published in Chinese news site this morning read that the flight received direct intelligence from American counterparts that there was a threat on board the flight.  These wild report don’t clear up anything and with news of a leading figure from Liaoning fleeing to the US with millions of USD stolen from public funds wired to overseas accounts, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was more to this story that is currently being said. 

CCP Politburo Standing Committee Retreat: Look who is sitting by Xi Jinping

The Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo Standing Committee and General Secretariat met in Hebei, Qinghuangdao, on August 5th as a bit of a summer break and vacation where many believe the highest ranks of the party will be deciding on the make-up of the next Politburo standing committee.  One candidate, who I believe has a very strong chance of making it, Liu Yandong, is pictured here sitting right next to Xi Jinping, the presumed paramount leader-in-waiting.  Telling?  She was also prominently featured in other online spreads published by Xinhua online. 

Shandong Vice-Governor Zhang Zezhong, dismissed, removed as representative to the People’s Congress, Charges Pending

                             

In a closed door meeting of the Shandong Provincial People’s Standing Committee held on August 1st, Vice Governor Zhang Zezhong on “suspicion of grace breeches of discipline and law”.  He has been immediately removed from his position along with his role as representative to the National People’s Congress.  Open source news outlets across China has omitted the specific charges against him and limited exposure to him dismissal while noting the Qingdao City standing committee had been investigating his case as early as July 18th.

CCP Military Commission’s General Liang: The PLA must we prepared for war

Gen Liang, in a publication made public yesterday called for: 要更加注重拓展和深化军事斗争准备。要教育广大官兵时刻牢记我军的根本职能和肩负的神圣使命，牢固树立当兵打仗、带兵打仗、准备打仗的思想。”

For an interesting perspective on the subject link here to a Chinese blog post on the subject asking who is this kind of rhetoric for? Who is it aimed at?

Xi Jinping and the Challenges of Chinese Leadership

PLA Daily: “Rise the Flag, Follow the Party’s Command”, No external power will split the Party and the PLA

For the full post from the PLA Daily online, link here:

Most significant quote from the text:

随着党的十八大临近，意识形态领域斗争愈加尖锐复杂，国内外敌对势力蠢蠢欲动，乘机进行破坏和捣乱，加紧对我实施西化、分化战略，并把我军作为重点目标，妄图离间党和军队的关系。

Guangzhou Party Committee Decides to Replace Provincial Politburo Secretary

朱明国

梁伟发

The man in the second photo, Liang Weifa, has been replaced as Guangzhou Politburo Secretary. No news yet on the reason of cause for the shift.