After multiple rounds of personnel upheaval over the past six months, all key positions in Chongqing, such as mayor, vice mayor, and public security bureau chief, which had been left vacant for several months, were filled on Friday (July 31).
Chen Xinwu, who has taken over as "number one" of the Chongqing municipal government, chaired the first municipal government party group meeting in his capacity as acting mayor that day. The meeting emphasized the need to "firmly establish and practice the correct outlook on political achievements," and to be "executors, activists, and doers of the highest standard."
According to a news release by official Chongqing media outlet The Chongqing Daily issued that evening, the municipal government party group meeting chaired by Chen Xinwu stressed the need to build political loyalty, completely and thoroughly eliminate the fallout of negative influences, continually repair and purify the political environment, and regard the implementation of directives as an important criterion for testing political loyalty. The meeting called for conducting the principle of “when the General Secretary gives orders and the Party Central Committee deploys, Chongqing takes action” to the end.
The meeting called for adhering to reality and acting according to rules and regulations. Leaders are to set an example in integrity and self-discipline, hold the red line and bottom line, always maintaining self-respect, self-reflection, and self-caution, and pay attention to family, upbringing, and family values. At the same time, they should focus on annual goals and strive to promote economic development.
Chen Xinwu, 58, spent most of his political career in Hubei. In 2023, he was transferred to Chongqing as member of the municipal Party Standing Committee and secretary-general, acting as a “chief of staff” to Party Secretary Yuan Jiajun. In 2024, he served as Chongqing executive vice mayor and deputy secretary of the municipal government’s Party group before being promoted to deputy Party secretary last year.
The Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress on Friday announced Chen Xinwu as vice mayor and acting mayor. According to the process for Chinese official appointments, he will then formally serve as mayor of Chongqing.
After the fall of then-mayor Hu Henghua in March this year, Chongqing’s leadership team continued to undergo adjustments. Municipal Party Standing Committee member and first Party secretary of Liangjiang New Area, Luo Lin, was also investigated the following month. Vice mayor and public security bureau chief Zhang Anjiang unexpectedly passed away due to illness in May, causing key positions of mayor, vice mayor, and public security chief in China’s only direct-administered municipality in the West to all be vacant at the same time.
From the order of rank and division of labor, Chen Xinwu has long been seen as a hot candidate to succeed as mayor. He has recently accompanied Yuan Jiajun to attend major meetings and research activities many times, further strengthening public expectations that he would become the mayor.
On Friday, Chongqing also announced the appointment of Tan Quan as the city’s vice mayor and public security chief, filling the vacancy left by Zhang Anjiang; Wu Shulin was appointed vice mayor and concurrently secretary of the Party working committee of Western Science City, Chongqing High-tech Zone.
Tan Quan, 55, previously served as assistant minister of China's Ministry of Public Security. Chongqing official media, in a report on July 17 about rescue work after a landslide in Pengshui, first revealed he had already become a city leader; since then, Tan has appeared at several important meetings and emergency response sites in Chongqing.
Wu Shulin, 52, spent most of his career at China’s National Development and Reform Commission, serving as deputy director of the Regional Economy Department and director of the Regional Coordinated Development Department.
According to a Chongqing Daily report on the citywide disaster prevention and relief meeting on June 18, Liu Shangjin, vice secretary of the municipal government party group, has already been promoted to member of the Party Standing Committee and executive vice mayor. With Ma Zhen, who has been promoted to Standing Committee member and head of Organization Department, no longer serving as vice mayor, Chongqing’s vice mayor team now comprises seven members.
Chou Chien-wen, distinguished professor at the Department of Political Science and Institute of East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, told Lianhe Zaobao that the configuration of Chongqing's leadership team is now largely complete and should be stable going forward.
Regarding Chen Xinwu’s emphasis on political performance and elimination of lingering negative influences, he noted this reveals that previous corruption cases involved a large amount of reckless investment, and politically, purification and restoration may continue. "Lower-level Chongqing officials, such as bureau chiefs or district heads, may face further scrutiny."
Ting Shufan, emeritus professor at the Institute of East Asian Studies, National Chengchi University, was not surprised by the call for 'eliminating lingering negative influences.' In an interview, he said that with consecutive falls of officials in Chongqing in recent years, Chen Xinwu’s new appointment predictably required him to make a statement on this issue.
According to a news release by official Chongqing media outlet The Chongqing Daily issued that evening, the municipal government party group meeting chaired by Chen Xinwu stressed the need to build political loyalty, completely and thoroughly eliminate the fallout of negative influences, continually repair and purify the political environment, and regard the implementation of directives as an important criterion for testing political loyalty. The meeting called for conducting the principle of “when the General Secretary gives orders and the Party Central Committee deploys, Chongqing takes action” to the end.
The meeting called for adhering to reality and acting according to rules and regulations. Leaders are to set an example in integrity and self-discipline, hold the red line and bottom line, always maintaining self-respect, self-reflection, and self-caution, and pay attention to family, upbringing, and family values. At the same time, they should focus on annual goals and strive to promote economic development.
Chen Xinwu, 58, spent most of his political career in Hubei. In 2023, he was transferred to Chongqing as member of the municipal Party Standing Committee and secretary-general, acting as a “chief of staff” to Party Secretary Yuan Jiajun. In 2024, he served as Chongqing executive vice mayor and deputy secretary of the municipal government’s Party group before being promoted to deputy Party secretary last year.
The Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal People’s Congress on Friday announced Chen Xinwu as vice mayor and acting mayor. According to the process for Chinese official appointments, he will then formally serve as mayor of Chongqing.
After the fall of then-mayor Hu Henghua in March this year, Chongqing’s leadership team continued to undergo adjustments. Municipal Party Standing Committee member and first Party secretary of Liangjiang New Area, Luo Lin, was also investigated the following month. Vice mayor and public security bureau chief Zhang Anjiang unexpectedly passed away due to illness in May, causing key positions of mayor, vice mayor, and public security chief in China’s only direct-administered municipality in the West to all be vacant at the same time.
From the order of rank and division of labor, Chen Xinwu has long been seen as a hot candidate to succeed as mayor. He has recently accompanied Yuan Jiajun to attend major meetings and research activities many times, further strengthening public expectations that he would become the mayor.
On Friday, Chongqing also announced the appointment of Tan Quan as the city’s vice mayor and public security chief, filling the vacancy left by Zhang Anjiang; Wu Shulin was appointed vice mayor and concurrently secretary of the Party working committee of Western Science City, Chongqing High-tech Zone.
Tan Quan, 55, previously served as assistant minister of China's Ministry of Public Security. Chongqing official media, in a report on July 17 about rescue work after a landslide in Pengshui, first revealed he had already become a city leader; since then, Tan has appeared at several important meetings and emergency response sites in Chongqing.
Wu Shulin, 52, spent most of his career at China’s National Development and Reform Commission, serving as deputy director of the Regional Economy Department and director of the Regional Coordinated Development Department.
According to a Chongqing Daily report on the citywide disaster prevention and relief meeting on June 18, Liu Shangjin, vice secretary of the municipal government party group, has already been promoted to member of the Party Standing Committee and executive vice mayor. With Ma Zhen, who has been promoted to Standing Committee member and head of Organization Department, no longer serving as vice mayor, Chongqing’s vice mayor team now comprises seven members.
Chou Chien-wen, distinguished professor at the Department of Political Science and Institute of East Asian Studies at National Chengchi University in Taiwan, told Lianhe Zaobao that the configuration of Chongqing's leadership team is now largely complete and should be stable going forward.
Regarding Chen Xinwu’s emphasis on political performance and elimination of lingering negative influences, he noted this reveals that previous corruption cases involved a large amount of reckless investment, and politically, purification and restoration may continue. "Lower-level Chongqing officials, such as bureau chiefs or district heads, may face further scrutiny."
Ting Shufan, emeritus professor at the Institute of East Asian Studies, National Chengchi University, was not surprised by the call for 'eliminating lingering negative influences.' In an interview, he said that with consecutive falls of officials in Chongqing in recent years, Chen Xinwu’s new appointment predictably required him to make a statement on this issue.