Provincial party standing committee

Standing Members of provincial-level committees of the Communist Party of China, commonly referred to as Shengwei Changwei (Chinese: 省委常委), make up the top ranks of the provincial-level organizations of the Communist Party of China. In theory, the Standing Members 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. Members are ranked based on the concurrent offices they hold or based on their level of experience and perceived clout. 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, age, and location

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 many 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]

In terms of age, almost 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 2015, the youngest person with a seat on a provincial Standing Committee was the Secretary-General of the Liaoning party organization, Tan Zuojun (born 1968), 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) and there is rapid turnover of membership.^[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.

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]

Gender

As of March 2015, 34 of the 409 shengwei changwei were female.^[4] Of the provinces, Jiangsu had the highest representation of female shengwei changwei in the country: three members on the Jiangsu standing committee (Hong Qiang, Huang Lixin, and Wang Yanwen) were women. Zhang Xiaolan, Secretary of Discipline Inspection in Gansu province, was the only female shengwei changwei born after 1965.^[4] 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. One, Liu Hui, served as the head of government (Chairwoman of Ningxia); Lü Xiwen and Chen Yiqin served as deputy party chiefs. No females held the seat reserved for the military on the committees.^[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.

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	13	Guo Jinlong (Politburo)	Wang Anshun	Gou Zhongwen	Li Shulei (SDI), Li Shixiang (EVM), Chen Gang (VM), Li Wei (HPD), Jiang Zhigang (HOD), Zhang Yankun (ZFW), Pan Liangshi (PLA), Zhang Gong (Sec-Gen), Dai Junliang (UFD)
Shanghai	13	Han Zheng (Politburo)	Yang Xiong	Ying Yong	Tu Guangshao (EVM), Shen Xiaoming (Pudong), Zhu Shengling (PLA), Xu Zezhou (HOD), Hou Kai (SDI), Jiang Ping (ZFW), Sha Hailin (UFD), Yin Hong (Sec-Gen), Dong Yunhu (HPD), one vacancy
Tianjin	13	Huang Xingguo (Acting)	Huang Xingguo	Wang Dongfeng	Liao Keduo (PLA), Yin Deming (HOD), Yao Zengke (SDI), Duan Chunhua (EVM), Liu Changxi (UFD), Cheng Qisheng (HPD, Sec-Gen), Yuan Tongli (ZFW, Union), Zhu Liping (Jiaogongwei), Zong Guoying (Binhai)
Chongqing	13	Sun Zhengcai (Politburo)	Huang Qifan	Zhang Guoqing	Xu Songnan (SDI), Wen Jieming (EVM), Liu Xuepu (ZFW), Song Airong (UFD), Ling Yueming (Liangjiang), Zhang Ming, Zeng Qinghong (HOD), Yan Ping (HPD), Wang Xiangang (Wanzhou)
– Provinces –
Hebei	13	Zhao Kezhi	Zhang Qingwei	Zhao Yong	Yang Chongyong (EVG), Chen Chaoying (SDI), Fan Chaobing (UFD), Zhang Yue (ZFW), Sun Ruibin (Shijiazhuang), Tian Xiangli (HPD), Liang Tiangeng (HOD), Jiao Yanlong (Tangshan), Shao Heng (PLA), one vacancy
Shanxi	13	Wang Rulin	Li Xiaopeng	Lou Yangsheng	Hu Suping (HPD), Gao Jianmin (EVG), Huang Xiaowei (SDI), Wu Zhenglong (Taiyuan), Wang Jianming (ZFW), Sun Zhaocheng (UFD), Wang Weizhong (Sec-Gen), Fu Jianhua (VG), Sheng Maolin (HOD)
Liaoning	13	Li Xi	Chen Qiufa	Zeng Wei (Shenyang)	Lin Duo (SDI), Tang Jun (Dalian), Xin Guizi (HOD), Su Hongzhang (ZFW), Fan Weiping (HPD), Tan Zuojun (EVG; Sec-Gen), Dai Yulin (Union), Wang Bianjiang (PLA), one vacancy
Jilin	13	Bayanqolu	Jiang Chaoliang	Ma Junqing	Gao Guangbin (EVG), Jin Zhenji (ZFW), Fang Li (Sec-Gen), Lin Wu (HOD), Cui Shaopeng (SDI), Zhang Anshun (Yanbian), Zhuang Yan (VG), Gao Fuping (HPD), Miao Yufeng (PLA), Wang Junzheng (Changchun)
Heilongjiang	13	Wang Xiankui	Lu Hao	vacant	Huang Jiansheng (SDI), Zhang Xiaolian (HPD), Ma Xueyi (PLA), Yang Rui (HOD), Chen Haibo (Harbin), Hao Huilong (EVG), Zhao Min (UFD), Li Haitao (Sec-Gen), one vacancy
Jiangsu	13	Luo Zhijun	Shi Taifeng	vacant	Hong Qiang (SDI), Li Yunfeng (EVG), Huang Lixin (Nanjing), Li Xiaomin (Wuxi), Wang Jiong (HOD), Fan Jinlong (Sec-Gen), Wang Yanwen (HPD), Xu Ming (VG), Cao Dexin (PLA), Wang Like (ZFW)
Zhejiang	13	Xia Baolong	Li Qiang	Wang Huizhong (ZFW)	Ren Zemin (SDI), Ge Huijun (HPD), Yuan Jiajun (EVG), Wang Xinhai (PLA), Zhao Yide (Hangzhou), Liao Guoxun (HOD), Chen Jinbiao (Sec-Gen), Wang Yongkang (UFD), two vacancies
Anhui	13	Wang Xuejun	Li Jinbin	Li Guoying	Xu Liquan (ZFW), Wang Binyi (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	13	Qiang Wei	Lu Xinshe	Liu Qi	Li Bingjun (Ganzhou), Chen Junqing (HPD), Zhou Zemin (SDI), Zhou Meng (ZFW), Cai Xiaoming (UFD), Zhao Aiming (HOD), Gong Jianhua (Nanchang), Zhang Xiaoming (PLA), Mao Weiming (EVG), Zhu Hong (Sec-Gen)
Fujian	13	You Quan	Yu Weiguo	vacant	Yang Yue (Fuzhou), Jiang Xinzhi (HOD), Ye Shuangyu (Sec-Gen), Zhang Zhinan (EVG), Wang Menghui (Xiamen), Ni Yuefeng (SDI), Xiong Andong (PLA), Lei Chunmei (UFD), Chen Dong (CFW), one vacancy
Shandong	13	Jiang Yikang	Guo Shuqing	Gong Zheng	Sun Wei (EVG), Li Faquan (SDI), Li Qun (Qingdao), Sun Shougang (HPD), Lu Minsong (PLA), Wang Wentao (Jinan), Yang Dongqi (HOD), Zhang Jiangting (ZFW), Yu Xiaoming (Sec-Gen), Wu Cuiyun (UFD)[5]
Henan	13	Xie Fuzhan	Chen Run'er	Deng Kai	Ma Yi (EVG), Yin Jinhua (SDI), Zhou Heping (PLA), Wu Tianjun (Zhengzhou), Zhao Suping (HPD), Liu Mancang (ZFW), Xia Jie (HOD), Li Wenhui (Sec-Gen), Tao Minglun (UFD), one vacancy
Hubei	13	Li Hongzhong	Wang Guosheng	Wang Xiaodong	Hou Chang'an (SDI), Ruan Chengfa (Wuhan), Fu Dehui (Sec-Gen), Huang Chuping (Yichang), Feng Xiaolin (PLA), Liang Huiling (UFD), Liang Weinian (HPD), Yu Shaoliang (HOD), one vacancy
Hunan	13	Xu Shousheng	Du Jiahao	vacant	Fu Kui (SDI), Huang Lanxiang (UFD), Zhang Wenxiong (HPD), Guo Kailang (HOD), Li Weiwei (ZFW), Xu Yousheng (Sec-Gen), Yi Lianhong (Changsha), Lin Wu (Changzhutan Zone), Huang Yuejin (PLA), Chen Xiangqun
Guangdong	13	Hu Chunhua (Politburo)	Zhu Xiaodan	Ma Xingrui (Shenzhen)	Huang Xianyao (SDI), Li Yumei (HOD), Lin Xiong (UFD), Xu Shaohua (EVG), Shen Haixiong (HPD), Huang Shanchun (PLA), Ren Xuefeng (Guangzhou), Li Jia (Zhuhai), Lin Shaochun (ZFW), Zou Ming
Hainan	13	Luo Baoming	Liu Cigui	Li Jun	Xu Jun (HPD), Ma Yongxia (SDI), Li Xiuling (HOD), Mao Chaofeng (EVG), Sun Xinyang (Haikou), Liu Xin (PLA), Zhang Qi (Sanya), Chen Zhirong (VG), Hu Guanghui (Sec-Gen)
Sichuan	13	Wang Dongming	Yin Li	Liu Guozhong	Li Dengju (Union), Wang Huaichen (SDI), Huang Xinchu (Chengdu), Fan Ruiping (HOD), Li Changping (Nonggongwei), Wu Jingping (Sec-Gen), Liu Jiaguo (PLA), Wang Ning (EVG), Dai Jun (VG), Cui Baohua (UFD)
Guizhou	13	Chen Min'er	Sun Zhigang	Chen Yiqin (ZFW)	Song Xuantao (SDI), Liu Xiaokai (UFD), Sun Yongchun (HOD), Qin Rupei (EVG), Chen Gang (Guiyang), Zhang Guangzhi (HPD), Wang Shenghuai (PLA), Wang Xiaoguang (Zunyi), Mu Degui (VG)
Yunnan	13	Li Jiheng	Chen Hao	Zhong Mian	Li Jiang (EVG), Huang Yi (UFD), Meng Sutie (ZFW), Cao Jianfang (Sec-Gen), Zhao Jin (HPD), Li Pei (Gaoxiao Gongwei), Zhang Shuofu (SDI), Yang Guangyue (PLA), Cheng Lianyuan (Kunming), one vacancy
Shaanxi	13	Lou Qinjian	Hu Heping	vacant	Guo Yongping (SDI), Wei Minzhou (Xi'an), Yao Yinliang (EVG), Mao Wanchun (HOD), Liu Xiaoyan (Sec-Gen), Gao Longfu (PLA), Chen Qiang (UFD), Zhu Like (ZWF), Xu Xinrong (Yan'an), Liang Gui (HPD)
Gansu	13	Wang Sanyun	Lin Duo	Ouyang Jian	Wu Degang (HOD), Xe Bazu (ZFW), Xian Hui (VG), Zhang Xiaolan (SDI), Yu Haiyan (Lanzhou), Li Jianhua (Sec-Gen), Fu Zhuanyu (PLA), Li Rongcan (VG), Wang Xiyu (UFD), Liang Yanshun (HPD)
Qinghai	15	Luo Huining	Hao Peng	Wang Jianjun	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	13	Li Jianhua	Liu Hui	Cui Bo	Cai Guoying (HPD), Chen Xuguo (SDI), Xu Guangguo (Yinchuan), Fu Xingguo (HOD), Li Wenzhang (Guyuan), Wang Pengfei (ZFW, PSD), Zhang Chaochao (EVC), Li Rui (VC), Chang Yeting (PLA), Ma Tingli (VC)
Xinjiang	15	Zhang Chunxian (Politburo)	Shohrat Zakir	Che Jun Sun Jinlong Zhu Hailun	Huang Wei (EVC), Shokat Emil, Zhu Hailun (Urumqi), Bai Zhijie (Sec-Gen), Erkenjen Turahom (Union, Tacheng), Xiong Xuanguo (ZFW), Xu Haihong (SDI), Hanibad Shapkeh, Li Xuejun (HPD), Erken Tonilazi, Ma Xuejun (HOD)
Guangxi	13	Peng Qinghua	Chen Wu	Li Ke	Wen Kahua (ZFW), Huang Daowei (HPD), Tang Renjian (EVC), Wang Xiaodong (Nanning), Fan Xioali (Sec-Gen), Bai Nianfa (PLA), Yu Chunsheng (SDI), Lan Tianli (VC), Yu Yunlin (HOD), Li Kang (UFD)
Inner Mongolia	13	Wang Jun	Bu Xiaolin	Li Jia	Che Huasong (PLA), Zhang Li (SDI), Ulan (HPD), Li Pengxin (HOD), Fu Taizeng (EVC), Nasunmunkh (Hohhot), Wang Zhonghe (Baotou), Zhang Yuanzhong (Sec-Gen), Liu Hui (ZFW)
Tibet	15	Chen Quanguo	Losang Jamcan	Padma Choling Wu Yingjie (Sr. Sec.) Deng Xiaogang	Deng Xiaogang (EVC, ZFW), Diao Guoxin (PLA), Gonpo Tashi (UFD), Chigala (Lhasa), Norbu Damju (Chamdo), Doto (Zhigongwei), Ding Yexian (EVC), Wang Ruilian (Sec-Gen), Wang Yongjun (SDI), Zeng Wanming (HOD), Jiang Jie (VC)
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

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, a junior secretary 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？". The Paper. October 10, 2014.
2. "中国16省调整省委班子 研究生学历为标配". Duowei. April 27, 2015.
3. "46岁谭作钧成最年轻省委常委". Beijing Youth Daily. January 18, 2015.
4. "盘点34位女性省级常委:集中在纪检、组织、宣传等领域(表)". renshi.people.cn. March 6, 2015.
5. "Main Leaders of Shandong". Xinhuanet.