Provincial party standing committee

Members of the standing committees of the Communist Party of China provincial-level committees, commonly referred to as Shengwei Changwei (Chinese: 省委常委; pinyin: shěngwěi chángwěi), make up the top ranks of the provincial-level organizations of the Communist Party of China. In theory, the Standing Committee of a Party Committee manage the day-to-day party affairs of a provincial party organization, and are selected from the members of the provincial-level Party Committee at large. In practice, Shengwei Changwei is a position with significant political power, and their appointments are essentially directed by the central leadership through the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China.

Terminology

• Shengwei Changwei (省委常委) technically only refer to Standing Committee members of a province. Standing Committee members of the four direct-controlled municipalities are known as Shiwei Changwei (市委常委). Standing Committee members of the autonomous regions are known as Zizhiqu Dangwei Changwei (自治区党委常委) or Qu Dangwei Changwei for short.
• Changweihui (常委会): The Standing Committee, or, alternatively, a meeting of the Standing Committee (depending on the context in which this term is used)
• Ruchang (入常): to be selected to join the Standing Committee, or to enter the Standing Committee. The same term can be used for Politburo Standing Committee members. This term is an abbreviation, and became popular during the internet era.
• Shengwei Weiyuan (省委委员) refers to a member of the provincial-level Party Committee, which is distinct from the Standing Committee. Standing Committee members are selected from members of the Party Committee.

Membership and rankings

In each province, direct-controlled municipality, or autonomous region, membership in a Standing Committee ranges between 11 and 15 individuals. The leading members are ranked by the office they hold. The Party Secretary (or party chief) is ranked first, followed by the head of government (called a "governor" in provinces, but a "mayor" in municipalities and "chairman" in autonomous regions), always ranked second, and a zhuanzhi Deputy Party Secretary (that is, a "full-time" deputy party chief who oversees party affairs) is always ranked third. Often, but not always, a discipline inspection secretary is ranked fourth. Apart from these established ranking conventions, the remaining ranks of the Standing Committees are ordered by the date of advancement to the sub-provincial (vice-minister) level (among other things).[1]

In general, the heads of the provincial-level Organization Department (in charge of human resources and personnel) and Propaganda Department (in charge of disseminating the party's agenda) earn ex officio seats on the provincial-level Standing Committee. Usually, the head of the Zhengfawei (i.e., Political and Legal Affairs Commission), the Secretary of Discipline Inspection, the party committee's Secretary-General, a representative from the military (usually, a commissar or a commanding officer of the local military district) and the first-ranked deputy head of government also have seats on the Standing Committee. In the provinces and autonomous regions, the party chiefs of the provincial capital also usually sits on the Standing Committee. The party chiefs of other large subdivisions may also sit on the Standing Committee, although this is not a strict rule. Occasionally, the head of the provincial-level United Front Department and the chair of the provincial Federation of Trade Unions organization also holds a seat on the Standing Committee.

Shengwei Changwei are considered sub-provincial-level (fushengji) officials, meaning their ranks are equivalent to that of a deputy provincial governor or a vice minister of the state. Where both Shengwei Changwei and provincial vice-governors (who are not also Shengwei Changwei) are present, the Shengwei Changwei ranks above the vice-governor. Provincial Standing Committee members are accorded fushengji rank if their concurrent post does not already afford them an equal or higher rank. For example, the party chief of Xining, capital of Qinghai province, would otherwise be considered a department-level (tingjuji) official but the fact that he sits on the provincial Standing Committee makes him rank one level higher; in fact, he would actually rank higher than an ordinary provincial vice-governor who does not sit on the Standing Committee. Conversely, the party chief of Beijing is usually also a Politburo member, he therefore holds a sub-national rank by virtue of his Politburo membership, which is two ranks above a typical Shengwei Changwei.

Qualifications and composition

The gradual 'professionalization' of Communist Party cadres began in the 1990s, which meant that more emphasis was placed on candidate's educational background as well as seniority of experience. For example, many of those promoted from the turn of the century onward had master's or doctorate degrees in fields such as economics. By the time of the Xi Jinping years, having a master's degree had become essentially a "standard requirement" for promotion to a provincial Standing Committee, with some of those promoted having academic experiences at the world's top universities.[2] The type of degrees varied; although Masters of Business Administration (MBAs) were common, others had engineering or medical backgrounds.[2]

Age

In terms of age, nearly all Shengwei Changwei who are not concurrently serving as party chief or head of government are between 45 and 60 years of age. It is general convention in the CPC that officials of sub-provincial (vice minister) rank retire at age 60. Unless they advance to full provincial rank, for example by becoming a Governor, a provincial party chief, or a minister of the state, they usually relinquish their posts at age 60. On the other hand, officials below 45 years of age have next to no chances on making it to this elite level of the party organization. For example, as of 2017, the youngest person with a seat on a provincial Standing Committee was the Secretary-General of the Shanghai party organization, Zhuge Yujie (born 1971), who was 46 years old at the time of his appointment.[3] The effect of this is that Shengwei Changwei usually sit on the body for no more than three terms (each term is five years). The pace of turnover in membership is rapid: departures occur frequently as members reach retirement age or as individuals are transferred to another province or a ministerial post.[2]

Since the 1990s, the majority of national leaders have extensive regional experience prior to their promotion to the top. Therefore, it is possible to discern who may be up for promotion to the national level from current provincial Standing Committee members simply by determining the age of the candidates; those in their late forties or early fifties are considered likely to earn promotion to the next level.

Regional profiles and ethnic minorities

Unlike party chiefs and governors, who usually serve in a variety of locales during their careers, many Shengwei Changwei are "native" to the province in which they serve. There are notable exceptions to this, for example, in Shanxi province following the "earthquake" that shook its political establishment in 2014 when the majority of the provincial Standing Committee was rounded up for investigation, removed from the body, or transferred. The 'renewed' committee was made up of people mostly not native to Shanxi province. Since Xi Jinping's assuming the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in November 2012, many provinces have also seen Discipline Inspection chiefs being appointed by the centre and "parachuted" into their roles in the provinces.[2]

Prior to the Xi Jinping years, ethnic minorities, with very rare exceptions, do not serve outside of their home region. Even within their home region, they often serve in 'token' positions - for example United Front chief, union leader, or in some cases no other position at all (essentially admitted to ensure ethnic balance on the body). However, since 2013, multiple ethnic minority officials have been transferred out of their home regions to take on positions in other provinces, including Ulan (Mongol), Erkenjen Turahom (Uyghur), and Liao Guoxun (Tujia).

Gender

As of July 2017, 35 of the 375 shengwei changwei were female.[4] Of the provinces, Hunan had the highest representation of female shengwei changwei in the country: three members on the Hunan standing committee were women. 80% of female shengwei changwei had previous experience as the party chief of prefecture-level cities or equivalent jurisdictions. The majority of female shengwei changwei served as the heads of provincial party departments, such as United Front, Propaganda, Organization, or as leaders of discipline inspection. As of 2018, three women, Bu Xiaolin, Shen Yiqin, and Xian Hui (curiously, all ethnic minorities), served as the heads of government; He Rong, Huang Lixin, Ulan, and Yu Hongqiu served as deputy party chiefs - a post with substantial clout.[4]

Advancement

Being a provincial-level standing committee member has evolved to become a de facto "prerequisite" for advancing to higher levels of the party and government. For example, every member of the 18th Politburo Standing Committee had at one point in their career been a provincial standing committee member. Most provincial-level governors and party chiefs also have prior experience as a member of a provincial-level standing committee.

Certain standing committee seats are seen as having more weight than others, solely due to promotion structure and conventions that have congealed over the years. The Deputy Party Secretary is the most prestigious sub-provincial level post - it is generally seen as the final 'training ground' prior to a promotion to governorship or a minister-level state position. The party chiefs of provincial capitals or other sub-provincial cities also often receive promotions; these are positions of substantive power as they oversee aspects of an area that would otherwise normally fall under provincial jurisdiction. Another closely watched position is the party committee secretary-general, perhaps due to the close proximity to the machinery of the party organizations they serve, and the youthful profile of many of its officeholders signalling promotion potential.

List

List of provincial-level Standing Committee members of the
Communist Party of China

– Municipalities –
Division	Seats	Secretary	Head of Gov't[lower-alpha 1]	Deputy Secretary[lower-alpha 2]	Other members
Beijing	12	Cai Qi (Politburo)	Chen Jining	Vacant	Zhang Yankun (ZFW), Lin Keqing (EVM), Du Feijin (HPD), Chen Yong (SDI), Wei Xiaodong (HOD), Cui Shuqiang (Sec-Gen), Qi Jing (UFD), Wang Ning (Jiaogongwei), Yin Yong (VM), Jiang Yong (PLA)
Shanghai	13	Li Qiang (Politburo)	Gong Zheng	Liao Guoxun (ZFW)	Yu Shaoliang (HOD), Zheng Gangmiao (UFD), Chen Yin (EVM), Weng Zuliang (Pudong), Zhou Huilin (HPD), Zhuge Yujie (Sec-Gen), Lin Xi (PLA), Wu Qing (VM)
Tianjin	12	Li Hongzhong (Politburo)	Zhang Guoqing	Yin Hejun	Duan Chunhua (EVM), Zhang Yuzhuo (Binhai), Sheng Maolin (HOD), Cheng Lihua (Jiaogongwei), Deng Xiuming (SDI), Zhao Fei (ZFW), Chen Minzhe (HPD), Ji Guoqiang (UFD), Li Yi (Sec-Gen)
Chongqing	13	Chen Min'er (Politburo)	Tang Liangzhi	Vacant	Wu Cunrong (EVM), Zhang Ming (HPD), Liu Qiang (ZFW), Mu Hongyu (SDI), Wang Bin (Sec-gen), Li Jing (UFD), Hu Wenrong (HOD), Mu Gongming (Wanzhou District), Duan Chenggang (Liangjiang New Area), Han Zhikai (PLA)
– Provinces –
Hebei	12	Wang Dongfeng	Xu Qin	Zhao Yide	Chen Chaoying (SDI), Tian Xiangli (HPD), Liang Tiangeng (HOD), Yuan Tongli (VG), Chen Gang (Xiong'an New Area), Jiao Yanlong (Tangshan), Dong Xiansheng (ZFW), Xing Guohui (Shijiazhuang), Shang Liguang (Sec-Gen), Gao Zhili (UFD)
Shanxi	12	Lou Yangsheng	Lin Wu	Vacant	Ren Jianhua (SDI), Luo Qingyu (Taiyuan), Zhang Jifu (Datong), Xu Guangguo (UFD), Lian Yimin (HPD), Shang Liguang (ZFW), Hu Yuting (Sec-Gen)
Liaoning	12	Chen Qiufa	Tang Yijun	Zhou Bo	Chen Xiaojiang (SDI), Tan Zuojun (EVG, Dalian), Li Wenzhang (ZFW), Fan Weiping (HPD), Fan Jiying (UFD), Li Jinke (Sec-Gen), Wang Zhengpu (HOD)
Jilin	12	Bayanqolu	Jing Junhai	Gao Guangbin	Zhang Anshun (Sec-gen), Wang Kai (Changchun), Lin Wu (EVG), Jiang Zhiying (SDI), Tao Zhiguo (ZFW), Wang Xiaoping (HPD), Wang Kai (HOD), Li Jinhao (UFD)
Heilongjiang	12	Zhang Qingwei	Wang Wentao	Chen Haibo	Zhang Xiaolian (HPD), Wang Changsong (SDI), Li Haitao (EVG), Gan Rongkun (ZFW), Wang Aiwen (HOD), Zhang Yupu (Sec-Gen), Wang Zhaoli (Harbin), Jia Yumei (VG)
Jiangsu	12	Lou Qinjian	Wu Zhenglong	Ren Zhenhe	Yang Yue (VG), Fan Jinlong (EVG), Wang Yanwen (HPD), Jiang Zhuoqing (SDI), Wang Like (ZFW), Guo Wenqi (HOD), Zhang Jinghua (Nanjing), Lan Shaomin (Suzhou)
Zhejiang	12	Che Jun	Yuan Jiajun	Zheng Zhajie	Chen Jinbiao (Sec-Gen), Feng Fei (EVG), Zhu Guoxian (HPD), Huang Jianfa (HOD), Zhou Jiangyong (Hangzhou), Xiong Jianping (UFD), Wang Changrong (ZFW), Feng Wenping (PLA), Chen Weijun (Wenzhou)
Anhui	13	Li Jinbin	Li Guoying	Xin Changxing	Xu Liquan (ZFW), Liu Hui (SDI), Zhan Xialai (EVG), Tang Chengpei (Sec-Gen), Shen Suli (UFD), Cao Zhenghai (HPD), Song Haihang (PLA), Chen Shulong (VG), Wu Cunrong (Hefei), Deng Xiangyang (HOD)
Jiangxi	12	Liu Qi	Yi Lianhong	Li Bingjun	Li Bingjun (Ganzhou), Sun Xinyang (SDI), Chen Junqing (HPD), Zhao Aiming (HOD), Mao Weiming (EVG), Yin Jianye (ZFW, VG), Yin Meigen (VG, Nanchang), Chen Xingchao (UFD), Liu Jie (Sec-Gen)
Fujian	12	Yu Weiguo	Tang Dengjie	Wang Ning	Zhang Zhinan (EVG), Xing Shanping (UFD), Wang Ning (HOD), Chen Dong (ZFW), Gao Xiang (HPD), Liu Xuexin (SDI), Fei Jinjia (Xiamen), Liang Jianyong (Sec-Gen), Zhou Lianqing (VG)
Shandong	12	Liu Jiayi	Li Ganjie	Yang Dongqi	Zhang Jiangting (UFD), Chen Fukuan (SDI), Wang Ke (HOD), Wang Shujian (EVG), Sun Licheng (Sec-Gen), Wang Qingxian (Qingdao), Guan Zhi'ou (HPD), Lin Fenghai (ZFW), Wang Zhonglin (Jinan)
Henan	12	Wang Guosheng	Yin Hong	Vacant	Weng Jieming (EVG), Zhao Suping (HPD), Ren Zhengxiao (SDI), Xia Jie (HOD), Li Ya (Luoyang), Tao Minglun (UFD), Xu Ganlu (ZFW), Ma Yi (Zhengzhou), Mu Weimin (Sec-Gen)
Hubei	13	Ying Yong	Wang Xiaodong	Vacant (Wuhan)	Erkenjen Turahom (UFD), Huang Chuping (EVG), Wang Yanling (HPD), Yu Shaoliang (HOD), Liang Weinian (Sec-Gen), Wang Lishan (SDI), Zhou Ji (Yichang), Wang Xiangxi (ZFW), Li Lecheng (Xiangyang), Ma Tao (PLA)
Hunan	12	Du Jiahao	Xu Dazhe	Ulan	Chen Xiangqun (EVG), Fu Kui (SDI), Huang Guanchun (ZFW), Huang Lanxiang (UFD), Wang Shaofeng (HOD), Cai Zhenhong (HPD), Hu Henghua (Changsha), Xie Jianhui (Sec-Gen)
Guangdong	12	Li Xi (Politburo)	Ma Xingrui	Wang Weizhong (Shenzhen)	Shen Haixiong (HPD), Li Shaochun (EVG), Zou Ming (HOD), He Zhongyou (ZFW), Shi Kehui (SDI), Jiang Ling (Sec-Gen), Yan Zhishan (UFD), Zeng Zhiquan
Hainan	12	Liu Cigui	Shen Xiaoming	Li Jun	Mao Chaofeng (EVG), Wang Ruilian (HOD), Zhang Qi (Haikou), Hu Guanghui (Sec-Gen), Lan Fotian (SDI), Xiao Yingzi (HPD), Xiao Jie (ZFW), Yan Chaojun (Sanya), Zhang Yunsheng (UFD)
Sichuan	12	Peng Qinghua	Yin Li	Deng Xiaogang	Wang Yanfei (SDI), Fan Ruiping (Chengdu), Wang Ning (EVG), Qumushiha (Nonggongwei), Gan Lin (HPD), Deng Yong (ZFW), Huang Jianfa (HOD), Wang Minghui (Sec-Gen), Li Jing (UFD)
Guizhou	12	Sun Zhigang	Shen Yiqin	Vacant	Liu Xiaokai (UFD), Tang Chengpei, Qin Rupei (EVG), Mu Degui (HPD), Xia Hongmin (SDI), Wang Xiaoguang (VG), Long Changchun (Zunyi)
Yunnan	12	Chen Hao	Ruan Chengfa	Li Xiuling	Zhao Jin (HPD), Zong Guoying (EVG), Lu Junhua (SDI), Cheng Lianyuan (Kunming), Li Xiaosan (HOD), Liu Huiyan (Sec-Gen), Zhang Taiyuan (ZFW), Yang Ning (UFD), Li Wenrong (Qujing)
Shaanxi	13	Hu Heping	Liu Guozhong	He Rong	Zhang Guangzhi (HOD), Liang Gui (EVG), Xu Xinrong (Yan'an), Wang Xingning (SDI), Zhuang Changxing (ZFW), Jiang Feng (UFD), Niu Yibing (HPD), Yang Zhibin (PLA), Wang Hao (Xi'an), Lu Jianjun (Sec-Gen)
Gansu	12	Lin Duo	Tang Renjian	Sun Wei	Li Rongcan (Lanzhou), Ma Tingli (UFD), Liu Changlin (SDI), Liang Yanshun (HOD), Ma Shizhong (ZFW), Huang Qiang (EVG), Song Liang (VG), Chen Qing (HPD), Wang Jiayi (Sec-Gen)
Qinghai	15	Wang Jianjun	Liu Ning	Vacant	Luo Yulin (EVG), Jildi Magya (HPD), Dorjee Rabten (SDI), Wang Xiaoqing (Sec-Gen), Zhang Guangrong (ZFW), Ma Shunqing (VG), Wang Xiao (Xining), Su Ning (Union), Danko (UFD), Li Songshan (PLA), Zhang Ximing
– Autonomous Regions –
Ningxia	12	Chen Run'er	Xian Hui	Jiang Zhigang (Yinchuan)	Xu Guangguo (ZFW), Zhang Chaochao (EVC), Ma Shunqing (VC), Xu Chuanzhi (SDI), Ji Zheng (Sec-Gen), Sheng Ronghua (HOD), Zhao Yongqing (HPD), Bai Shangcheng (UFD), Zhang Zhu (Guyuan)
Xinjiang	14	Chen Quanguo (Politburo)	Shohrat Zakir	Sun Jinlong Zhu Hailun Li Pengxin	Shewket Imin (UFD), Xu Hairong (Urumqi), Li Xuejun (Sec-Gen), Erken Tonilazi (VC), Ma Xuejun (HOD), Shalke Akhan (Union, Changji), Tian Wen (HPD), Wang Junzheng (ZFW), Luo Dongchuan (SDI)
Guangxi	13	Lu Xinshe	Chen Wu	Sun Dawei	Wen Kahua (ZFW), Huang Daowei (HPD), Wang Xiaodong (Nanning), Fan Xioali (Sec-Gen), Bai Nianfa (PLA), Yu Chunsheng (SDI), Lan Tianli (VC), Yu Yunlin (HOD), Li Kang (UFD)
Inner Mongolia	12	Shi Taifeng	Bu Xiaolin	Lin Shaochun (ZFW)	Wang Lixia (Hohhot), Ma Xuejun (EVG), Liu Qifan (SDI), Zhang Yuanzhong (Baotou), Bai Yugang (HPD), Li Jiexiang (Tongliao), Yang Weidong (HOD), Zhang Shaochun (Sec-Gen), Leng Jiesong (PLA)
Tibet	14	Wu Yingjie	Che Dalha	Losang Jamcan Ding Yexian Zhuang Yan	Norbu Dhondup (VC, Chamdo), Tenkho (UFD), Wang Ruilian (Sec-Gen), Wang Yongjun (SDI), Zeng Wanming (HOD), Jiang Jie (VC), Pamba Tashi (HPD, VC), He Wenhao (ZFW, VC), Padma Wamdi (Lhasa), Xu Yong (PLA)
List of Abbreviations EVG (EVM, EVC): Executive Vice Governor (Executive Vice Mayor, Executive Vice Chairman) SDI: Secretary of Discipline Inspection HOD: Head of Organization Department HPD: Head of Propaganda Department VG (VM, VC): Vice Governor (Vice Mayor, Vice Chairman) ZFW: Secretary of Political and Legal Affairs Commission (Zhengfawei) Sec-Gen: Secretary-General UFD: Head of United Front Department PLA: Military representative PSD: Director of Public Security Department Union: Head of the Federation of Trade Unions Place names (ex. Dalian) in parentheses represent party chief of that jurisdiction

Standing Committees below provincial level

Below the provincial-level, all administrative jurisdictions down to the county level all have their respective Party Standing Committees (Chinese: 党委常务委员会 or 党委常委会 for short). Like their provincial counterparts, these committees serve as the de facto highest local leadership council of the Communist Party of China in any area of jurisdiction. The composition of the council can be compared to the Politburo Standing Committee, the de facto highest decision making body of the country, but is not exactly the same. Local Standing Committees function as the highest policy making body within the party, but technically do not have executive powers of the government constitutionally.

The Standing Committee should not be confused with a "Party Committee" (党委), which is a distinct institution. A local Party Committee is a body composed of a much larger number of officials compared to the Party Standing Committee.

In general, the Party Standing Committee includes those concurrently holding the following positions:

1. Party Committee Secretary (also known as "party chief")
2. Deputy Party Secretary, Governor (Mayor)
3. Discipline Inspection Secretary
4. Politics and Legal Affairs Secretary
5. Executive Vice Governor
6. Head of local Organization Department
7. Head of local Propaganda Department
8. Secretary-General
9. Party Secretaries of the largest subdivisions within the jurisdiction

See also

• Central Committee of the Communist Party of China
• Communist Party Secretary
• Deputy Communist Party Secretary
• Chinese Wikipedia list

Notes

1. The head of government in each locale also always serves as the senior-ranked Deputy Party Secretary.
2. Where necessary, to distinguish between the head-of-government deputy secretary and the junior deputy secretary, the latter is referred to with the designation zhuanzhi shuji, in which zhuanzhi roughly means "full-time" or "holds this office specifically".

References

1. "涨知识:山西省委常委新班子是如何排序的？". ThePaper.cn. October 24, 2014. Archived from the original on February 2, 2016. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
2. "中国16省调整省委班子 研究生学历为标配". Duowei News. April 27, 2015. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
3. "46岁谭作钧成最年轻省委常委". Beijing Youth Daily. January 18, 2015. Archived from the original on May 25, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
4. "省级党委换届：85人新晋省级常委 "戎装常委"暂空缺". Chinanews. July 8, 2017. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.