1985 PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP CHANGES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP04T00447R000302250001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 17, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 18, 1985
• Content Type: MEMO

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Central Intelligence Agency
Washington. D. C. 20505
18 November 1985
1985 Provincial Leadership Changes
Summary
Between April and October, China's reform leaders carried out the
largest turnover of provincial leaders since early 1983, replacing 14
provincial party heads and 10 governors. The new appointees
overwhelmingly support reform policies and generally conform to Deng
Xiaoping's ideal of "younger and better educated." Roughly half of the 43
new provincial leaders have engineering backgrounds, and the remainder
are split between former China Youth League cadres and career local party
Many of the new provincial leaders apparently were identified
several years ago by central reformers and marked for promotion past
senior, more established provincial cadres. We believe the ability to keep
the appointees' careers on course over a period of years demonstrates
growing reformist political strength and skill. In our judgment, most
provincial leaders now owe their positions to central patronage rather than
to established provincial power bases, and thus are likely to be more
This memorandum was prepared by I Office of East Asia,
Office of Central Reference. Information available as of 18 November 1985 was
used in its preparation. Comments and queries are welcome and may be directed to the
Chief, Domestic, China, OEA,
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responsive to Beijing's policy guidance. They will still have to contend in
some cases with entrenched bureaucracies and the lingering influence of
Deng's Nearly Clean Sweep
Since his ascendancy in late 1978, Deng Xiaoping has steadily moved younger,
better educated, reform-minded cadres into key national and regional posts. Provincial
leaders -- including the provincial party chiefs and the heads of provincial governments
-- have been gradually replaced under this policy.' Following the abolishment in 1979
of the "revolutionary committees" of the Cultural Revolution, a number of provincial
party first secretaries were replaced by officials more loyal to Deng Xiaoping and his
proteges. The first great wave of changes came in early 1983, when 11 party leaders
and 24 governors were replaced within a six month period. At the same time, the
number of lower-level officials in each province was cut dramatically. The pace of
provincial turnovers picked up again this spring, leading to the replacement of 14
provincial party heads (now termed "secretary" rather than "first secretary"), and 10
governors by the end of October.- Hunan's Secretary Mao Zhiyong is now the only
remaining provincial leader who was appointed before Deng's changes began. 25X1
The replacement of provincial leaders over the past three years has been
accompanied by almost complete turnovers in the management of key provincial offices.
According to Chinese press reports, since January 1983:
? New Public Security Bureau directors have been identified in 25 of 27 provinces
on which information is available. Hunan has changed its director twice.
? New directors were named in the Propaganda Departments of 26 provinces.
? New directors have been named to provincial Discipline Inspection Commissions
of 26 provinces.
? New Organization Department directors have emerged in 27 of the 28 provinces
on which we have information.
These changes suggest that Beijing's reformers not only have succeeded in replacing
top provincial leaders, but also have made significant progress in changing the leaders
In this paper, "province" refers to China's 21 provinces, five autonomous regions, and
three special municipalities. "Governor" refers to governors, chairmen, and mayors of
2 Guizhou's party secretary has been changed twice this year; however, in this paper,
Guizhou's case is counted as a single leadership change.
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Patterns of New Appointees
The career patterns of the provincial leaders appointed this year generally fall
within one of three categories:
? We identify four new secretaries as former Communist Youth League cadres.
? Five new secretaries and eight new governors have specific engineering or
technical backgrounds.
? Four new secretaries and two new governors may be considered long-time "party
regulars."
Information on the new appointees is summarized in the appendix.
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The 1985 appointments are younger, better educated, and more cosmopolitan
than their predecessors. Only two are over 60, and the average age is 54. At least 19
new leaders attended college or have technical school educations, and at least 12 have
traveled overseas, six to the United States.F____1 25X1
Although most of the leaders appointed this year are natives of the provinces in
which they now serve, a significant portion did not rise through party ranks in these
provinces, but rather were noticed by Beijing several years ago and have subsequently
been promoted past more senior local officials. Twelve of the 24 new appointees were
named full or alternate members of the Central Committee in 1982. Because many held
positions that would not normally warrant Central Committee membership, their
appointments suggested they were marked for higher positions. Seventeen of the new
leaders were appointed deputy secretary or vice governor in 1983, again suggesting they
We believe a significant consequence of these appointments is that most new
provincial leaders tend to owe primary allegiance to China's central leadership rather
than to established provincial power bases. As a result, central leaders may have less
trouble dealing with independent-minded provincial leaders than in the past.
The four China Youth League alumni among the new appointees served in that
organization under the leadership of either Hu Yaobang or Hu Qili, and may be
considered proteges of these men. Three new leaders are linked with Premier Zhao
Ziyang: Guangdong Secretary Lin Ruo, Henan Secretary Yang Xizong (who worked with
Zhao in Sichuan Province), and Xizang Secretary Wu Jinghua. Shanghai's new secretary
and mayor, Rui Xingwen and Jiang Zemin, are associated with Vice Premier Li Peng
through their former ministerial assignments. 25X1
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Performance at the September Party Conference
With the exception of three new governors, all this year's provincial leadership
appointees are full or alternate members of the Central Committee. Ten new provincial
secretaries and five new governors were named full members of the Central Committee
at the September party meetings (three new secretaries and one mayor were already full
Central Committee members, and three new secretaries and four new governors were
already alternate members). All provincial secretaries with the exception of Xinjiang's
Song Hanliang are now full Central Committee members. Song was elected an alternate
member this September and was subsequently appointed to replace Wang Enmao as
Xinjiang Party Secretary. Governorship does not necessarily lead to Central Committee
membership--altogether eight governors are not on the Central Committee and four are
alternate members, which reflects the lower prestige and power of the governor's
position.
The completion of provincial changes has strengthened the position of Deng
Xiaoping and his proteges at the provincial level. These changes should improve the
reformers' ability to implement economic policies, as well as help keep party
rectification efforts and the recruitment of younger, better educated party members on
track. The provincial leadership changes also strengthen Deng Xiaoping's succession
arrangements by bolstering the power bases of Deng's proteges, especially Hu Yaobang
and Zhao Ziyang.
The new provincial leadership arrangements will not end the struggle between
provincial interests and central policies, however. Some of the new appointees may be
viewed in their own provinces as Beijing's representatives rather than provincial leaders,
which could weaken their effectiveness in dealing with entrenched provincial
bureaucracies. We expect that some new provincial leaders may need occasional
bolstering from Beijing, and additional changes may be in order if some of the
appointees prove unable to manage their assignments. We also expect that some of the
new appointees will have to deal with the remaining influence of outgoing provincial
bosses. For example, Yunnan's former party chief An Pingsheng and Guangxi's former
party chief Qiao Xiaoguang, both elderly provincial bosses who were considered hostile
to Deng Xiaoping's reform programs, have retained their memberships on the Central
Committee, and probably continue to exert influence in their home provinces. Over
time, however, we expect the new leaders to establish their own bases of authority,
particularly as party rectification brings younger, reform-minded cadres into
subprovincial slots. F_~ 25X1
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Appendix: 1985 Provincial Leadership Appointees
Name/Province
Age Named to Central
Committee
Background
1. The CYL Alumni
Hu Jintao
42
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Gansu CYL First Secretary,
Guizhou Secretary
Sept 1985 - Full
1982-84
Liang Buting
64
Sept 1982 - Full
Qinghai First Secretary,
Shandong Secretary
1980-82
Shandong Governor,
1983-85
Shandong Secretary (Jointly
with Su Yiran), 1983-85
Wan Shaofen (f)
54
Sept 1985 - Full
Former Head of Nanchang
Jiangxi Secretary
Municipal CYL Committee
Former Head of Jiangxi
Organization Department
Xing Chongzhi
58
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Former Central CYL
Hebei Secretary
Sept 1985 Full
Official, Early 1960s
Hebei Deputy Secretary,
II. The Engineers
1983-85
Chen Huiguang
46
Sept 1985 - Full
Mining Engineer; Former Dep
Guangxi Secretary
Director, Guangxi Coal
Bureau
Guangxi Dep Secretary,
1983-85
Gao Dezhan
NA
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Chemical Engineering
Jilin Governor
graduate, Harbin Univ.
Former Director, Jilin
Chemical Company
Jilin Vice Governor,
1983-85
He Zhiqiang
50
Not on CC
Geology Graduate,
Yunnan Governor
Chongqing University
Naxi Minority
Yunnan Vice Governor,
1983-85
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Hou Jie
54
Sept 1985 - Full
Agricultural Specialist
Heilongjiang Gov
Vice Chairman Heilongjiang
Revolutionary Committee
1977-79
Heilongjiang Vice Governor,
1979-85
Jiang Minkuan
55
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Former Sichuan Factory
Sichuan Governor
Sept 1985 - Full
Manager
Sichuan Vice Governor,
1983-85
Jiang Zemin
58
Sept 1982 - Full
Electrical Engineering
Shanghai Mayor
Graduate
Minister of Electronics,
1983-85
Li Changan
50
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Machine Tool Specialist
Shandong Governor
Sept 1985 - Full
Beijing Electronics Factory
Manager, 1979-80
Shandong Dep Secretary,
1983-85
Li Guixian
47
Sept 1985 - Full
Chemical Engineer
Liaoning Secretary
Former Dep Director,
Liaoning Electrical
Industry Bureau
Ni Xiance
49
Not on CC
Metallurgy Specialist
Jiangxi Governor
Jiangxi Vice Governor,
1983-85
Rui Xingwen
59
Sept 1985 - Full
Minister of Urban and
Shanghai Secretary
Rural Construction, 1984-85
Vice Minister State
Planning Commission, 1984
Song Hanliang
51
Sept 1985 - Alt.
Petroleum Engineer
Xinjiang Secretary
Former Xinjiang Petroleum
Bureau Official
Song Ruixiang
Qinghai Governor
Geologist
Ye Xuanping
61
Feb 1982 - Alt.
Studied Engineering in
Guangdong Governor
Sept 1985 - Full
USSR
Guangdong Vice Governor,
1980-83
Guangzhou Mayor, 1983-85
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Yin Kesheng
53
Sept 1985 - Full
Petroleum Engineer
Qinghai Secretary
Qinghai Vice Governor,
1983-85
Ill. The Party Regulars
Lin Ruo
61
Sept 1982 - Full
Guangdong Deputy
Secretary,
Guangdong Secretary
1983-85
Pu Chaozhu
55
Sept 1985 - Full
Yunnan Governor,
Yunnan Secretary
1983-1985
Wu Jinghua
54
Sept 1982 - Full
Yi Minority
Xizang Secretary
Vice Chairman State
Xiong Qingquan
51
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Nationalities Affairs
Commission, 1979-85
Hunan Deputy Secretary,
Hunan Governor
Sept 1985 - Full
1983-85
Yang Xizong
57
Sept 1982 - Alt.
Sichuan Governor,
Henan Secretary
Sept 1985 - Full
1983-85
Data Insufficient to Classify
Gao Di
58
Sept 1985 - Full
Jilin Deputy Secretary,
Jilin Secretary
1983-85
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Subject: China: 1985 Provincial Leadership Changes
Distribution:
National Security Council
1 - David Laux, Senior Assistant for China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong,
Room 302, OEOB
Department of State
1 - Richard Williams, Director, Office of Chinese Affairs (EAP/C),
Room 4318
1 - Howard Lange, Deputy Director of Economic Affairs, Office of Chinese
Affairs (EAP/C), Room 4318
1 - G Eugene Martin, (EAP/CH), Room 4318
1 - Jack Sontag, Acting Director, INR/EAP/CH, Room 8840
1 - Brian Evans, INR/EAP/CH, Room 8840
1 - Chris Clarke, INR/EAP/CH, Room 8840
Department of Commerce
1 - Office of Intelligence Liaison, Room 6854
Other
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Central Intelligence Agency
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