Internal power struggles among high-level CCP factions: the Fujian faction outmuscles the Zhejiang faction, with CCP’s espionage-based governance, two police chiefs enter the Secretariat; Cai Qi becomes the second most powerful figure.("Elite Forum" provided)
October 29, 2024 – At the 20th National Congress, Xi Jinping’s trusted former associates were fully elevated to positions of power. Signs indicate that these direct confidants of Xi have further brought in more "own people", with the Fujian faction notably gaining influence. Guangdong Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee Member and Propaganda Minister Chen Jianwen has now been appointed Editor-in-Chief of the People's Daily. Chen is a hometown compatriot and junior of Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi, who is in charge of propaganda, and is also a junior of former Minister of Propaganda and current Guangdong Secretary Huang Kunming, who is likewise from Fujian.
The People’s Daily official website “Leadership Introduction” section was updated on the 28th, showing that Guangdong Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee Member and Propaganda Minister Chen Jianwen has taken the position of Editor-in-Chief of People’s Daily.
The previous Editor-in-Chief of People’s Daily, Yu Shaoliang, 60 years old, last month replaced Tuo Zhen as President; Yu is from Hebei Province. Tuo Zhen, 65, has retired, now serving as Deputy Director of the National Committee on Education, Science, Culture, and Health of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Tuo Zhen is from Henan Province and had also served as Guangdong’s Propaganda Minister. In 2013, he became a controversial figure for suppressing outspoken voices at Southern Weekly.
The new editor, 59-year-old Chen Jianwen, was born in Longhai, Fujian. After graduating from Fujian Normal University (FNU) with a degree in Chinese literature, he taught for seven years before completing his graduate studies at Beijing Normal University. He then stayed on as a staff member until 2002, when he was transferred to the Beijing Municipal Propaganda Department, later rising to Vice Director of the Beijing Municipal Spiritual Civilization Office. In 2011, he joined the Chinese Literary Federation and eventually became Propaganda Chief in Guangdong in March 2021.
In January 2023, after Guangzhou Party Secretary Lin Keqing was promoted to Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Political Consultative Conference, there were rumors that Chen Jianwen would take over the position of Guangzhou Party Secretary. Hong Kong media Ming Pao at that time reported that Guangdong Party Secretary Huang Kunming initially wanted to promote his fellow Fujian native and junior at Fujian Normal University, then-Guangdong Provincial Standing Committee member and Propaganda Minister Chen Jianwen, to this important position as Guangzhou Secretary. However, during the Ministry of Organization’s consultation for opinions, some retired and former officials from Guangzhou directly submitted their opinions to the highest level.
Reportedly, former Guangzhou Party Secretary Lin Shusen wrote to Xi Jinping, expressing that Chen Jianwen, who had always worked in propaganda, education, and culture departments, had "never worked a single day in practical affairs" and was therefore unsuitable to lead a major city. Ultimately, the selected candidate was Guangzhou Mayor Guo Yonghang, who is regarded as half a local. Guo was promoted to Party Secretary in October last year.
It is worth noting that Chen Jianwen is both a hometown compatriot and junior of CCP Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi and Politburo member Huang Kunming.
Public records indicate that Cai Qi studied political education in the Department of Political Education at Fujian Normal University from 1975 to 1978 and worked in the Fujian Normal University Party Committee Office from 1978 to 1983. Huang Kunming studied in the same department from 1978 to 1982, and Chen Jianwen studied Chinese language in the Department of Chinese Language from September 1982 to July 1986.
Within the CCP, there has historically been a practice of forming cliques and factions. Xi Jinping's faction, commonly known as the Xi army, is also said to contain multiple factions within itself, with various groups vying for power and benefit. Among them, because Xi Jinping’s longest tenure was in Fujian (17 years), many officials with Fujian backgrounds have been heavily favored and assigned key positions, forming what is referred to as the Fujian faction which now holds many critical positions.
Among the current high-level CCP officials with Fujian backgrounds, besides Cai Qi and Guangdong Provincial Party Secretary Huang Kunming, there is also Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong, Director of the National Development and Reform Commission Zheng Zhajie, Minister of Veterans Affairs Pei Jinjia, Commander of the Eastern Theater Command Lin Xiangyang, Director of the Cyberspace Administration Zhuang Rongwen, Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department Lin Rui, Shandong Party Secretary Lin Wu, Governor of Jiangxi Province Ye Jianchun, Governor of Jiangsu Province Xu Kunlin, Director of the Macau Liaison Office Zheng Xinchong, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hou Jianguo, and Deputy Director of the Organization Department Huang Jianfa.
The Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, Song Tao, although originally from Suqian, Jiangsu, began working as a “sent-down youth” in Sha County, Fujian Province, in March 1973. From 1978 to 2001, he worked continuously in Fujian. During the time Xi Jinping worked in Fujian, he developed a close relationship with Song. Additionally, he earned an economics Ph.D. from Fujian Normal University while working.
Vice Premier He Lifeng is from Xingning, Guangdong, but was born in Yongding County, Fujian Province. Early in his career in Fujian, he became a staunch supporter of Xi. He studied in the Department of Economics at Xiamen University, earning a master's degree and later completing his Ph.D. while working.
The current Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, Pan Xianzhang, is from Quanzhou, Fujian. He studied in the Department of Mathematics at Fujian Normal University and later pursued graduate studies at Xiamen University. He is an alumnus of Fujian Normal University, along with Cai Qi, Huang Kunming, and Song Tao, and a fellow economics major alumnus from Xiamen University with Vice Premier He Lifeng.
Vice Chairman of the CCP Central Military Commission, He Weidong, is from Dongtai, Jiangsu Province, and was born in Nanping, Fujian. He was once the head of the 31st Group Army stationed in Fujian. Member of the Central Military Commission, Miao Hua, is from Rugao, Jiangsu, born in Fuzhou. In his early years, he served as Director of the Political Department in the 31st Group Army and developed a close relationship with Xi Jinping.
Earlier, it was reported that Fang Yongxiang would replace Zhong Shaojun as Director of the General Office of the Central Military Commission. On September 13, he was appointed as a member of the CCP Military Election Committee. Fang Yongxiang is from Tongan, Xiamen, Fujian, and served long-term in the original 31st Group Army. He is an alternate member of the 20th Central Committee.
On September 27, the Deputy Secretary of the CCP Hainan Provincial Committee, Shen Danyang, was appointed as Director of the State Council Research Office. Shen Danyang is from Zhangzhou, Fujian, and received his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from Xiamen University. He is an alternate member of the 20th Central Committee.
Hong Kong media Sing Tao Daily noted that the current Vice Premier He Lifeng completed his bachelor’s, master’s, and in-service doctoral degrees all at Xiamen University. There is a "Xiamen University Faction" in the political circles. Shen Danyang has now become Li Qiang’s “chief adviser,” with He Lifeng as an important supporter.
Editor-in-Chief: Li Renhe
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