At the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping’s confidants and former associates have taken over key positions, indicating that these direct confidants of Xi have brought in more “loyalists”, with a prominent presence of the Fujian faction. Chen Jianwen, member of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda, has been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Daily. Chen, a Politburo Standing Committee member who oversees propaganda, is a compatriot and junior fellow alumnus of Cai Qi, the Politburo Standing Committee member in charge of propaganda, and also a fellow Fujian native of Huang Kunming, the former Minister of the Central Propaganda Department and current Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee.
On the official website of the People’s Daily, the “Leadership Introduction” section was updated on the 28th to show that Chen Jianwen, member of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda, has been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Daily.
Yue Shaoliang, the former Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Daily and aged 60, replaced Tuo Zhen as the President last month, and he is from Hebei. Tuo Zhen, 65, has stepped down to the second line, serving as Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Tuo Zhen, originally from Henan, also served as Minister of Propaganda in Guangdong Province and became a controversial figure in 2013 due to the crackdown on the outspoken “Southern Weekend”.
Chen Jianwen, 59, hails from Longhai, Fujian. After graduating from the Chinese Department of Fujian Normal University (referred to as Fuda University) in his early years, he worked as a teacher for 7 years before pursuing postgraduate studies in the Chinese Department of Beijing Normal University. He remained at the university to work in 1996 and transferred to the Beijing Municipal Party Committee’s Propaganda Department in 2002, where he served as Deputy Director of the Capital Civilization Office in 2009. From 2011, Chen Jianwen worked at the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles for 10 years (during which he also served as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Central and State Organs in June 2020), then “parachuted” to Guangdong as Minister of Propaganda in March 2021.
In January 2023, after Guangzhou Municipal Party Secretary Lin Keqing was appointed as Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, rumors circulated that Chen Jianwen would take over as Guangzhou Party Secretary. According to Hong Kong media Ming Pao’s revelations at that time, it was reported that Huang Kunming, Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, initially planned to promote Chen Jianwen, a fellow Fujian native and fellow alumnus of Fuda University, who was then member of the Standing Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Minister of Propaganda, to the position of Guangzhou Party Secretary. However, when opinions were sought by the Organization Department, retired cadres in Guangzhou directly appealed to the top leadership.
It was reported that the former Guangzhou Party Secretary Lin Shusen wrote to Xi Jinping, stating that Chen Jianwen had always worked in propaganda, education, and cultural sectors, having “no practical experience,” making it difficult for him to take on the role of chief official in a major city. The final candidate shifted to Guangzhou Mayor Guo Yonghang, seen as a semi-local appointment, who was promoted to Party Secretary in October last year.
Of note, Chen Jianwen is both a compatriot and junior fellow alumnus of Politburo Standing Committee member Cai Qi and Politburo member Huang Kunming.
Public records show that Cai Qi studied Political Education at Fuda University from 1975 to 1978, then worked at the Party Committee’s Office of Fuda University from 1978 to 1983; Huang Kunming studied Political Education at Fuda University from 1978 to 1982; and Chen Jianwen majored in Chinese at Fuda University from September 1982 to July 1986.
Historically, factions within the Chinese Communist Party have been prevalent, and Xi Jinping’s faction has been seen as having multiple groups vying for power and profit. Due to Xi Jinping’s longest tenure in Fujian (17 years), many officials with Fujian backgrounds have been promoted. The Fujian faction now holds many key positions.
Among the current senior officials in the Chinese Communist Party who hail from Fujian are not only Cai Qi, Huang Kunming, and Chen Jianwen, but also Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong, National Development and Reform Commission Director Zheng Zhajie, Ministry of Veterans Affairs Minister Pei Jinjia, Eastern Theater Commander Lin Xiangyang, Cyberspace Administration of China Director Zhuang Rongwen, Deputy Minister of the United Front Work Department Lin Rui, Shandong Provincial Party Secretary Lin Wu, Jiangxi Governor Ye Jianchun, Jiangsu Governor Xu Kunlin, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region Zheng Xincong, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hou Jianguo, and Deputy Minister of the Organization Department Huang Jianfa.
Although the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party Central Military Commission, Fang Yongxiang, was previously rumored to replace Zhong Shaojun as the Director, he was appointed as a member of the Chinese Communist Party military election committee on September 13 this year. Fang Yongxiang, originally from Tong’an, Xiamen, Fujian, served for a long time in the former 31st Group Army and is a candidate member of the 20th Central Committee.
On September 27, this year, Shen Danyang, Deputy Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, was appointed as Director of the State Council Research Office. Shen Danyang, from Zhangzhou, Fujian, completed his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees at Xiamen University and is a candidate member of the 20th Central Committee.
According to the Hong Kong media Sing Tao Daily, the current Vice Premier He Lifeng, who holds undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral (in-service) degrees, obtained all his degrees from Xiamen University, leading to a notion of a “Xiamen University gang” in the political arena. Shen Danyang has become Li Qiang’s “chief adviser,” with senior fellow He Lifeng likely being a key figure pushing for this.
Vice Chairman of the Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party, He Weidong, is from Dongtai, Jiangsu, but was born in Nanping, Fujian, and was a military leader of the 31st Group Army stationed in Fujian; Miao Hua, Member of the Central Military Commission, is from Rugao, Jiangsu, born in Fuzhou, Fujian, and in his early years served as the Political Commissar of the 31st Group Army, with a close relationship with Xi Jinping.
Earlier, Fang Yongxiang, who was rumored to succeed Zhong Shaojun as the Director of the General Office of the Central Military Commission, was appointed as a member of the Chinese Communist Party military election committee on September 13. Fang Yongxiang is from Tong’an, Xiamen, Fujian, and was as a long-term serviceman in the original 31st Group Army, and he is a candidate member of the 20th Central Committee.
On September 27 this year, Shen Danyang, Deputy Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, was appointed as Director of the State Council’s Research Office. Shen Danyang is from Zhangzhou, Fujian, and completed his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees at Xiamen University, and is a candidate member of the 20th Central Committee.
Although the Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the Chinese Communist Party, Song Tao, is from Sucheng, Jiangsu, he served as a youth educated in Shaxian, Fujian from March 1973 to 1978 and worked in Fujian until 2001. During Xi Jinping’s time in Fujian, Song had a close relationship with Xi and obtained a Ph.D. in Economics while at Fuda University.
Vice Premier He Lifeng is from Xingning, Guangdong, born in Yongding County, Fujian. In his early career in Fujian, he was a staunch supporter of Xi, studied at the School of Economics at Xiamen University, obtained a master’s degree, and later completed a Ph.D. while in service.
Current Deputy Director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, Pan Xian is from Quanzhou, Fujian, he studied Mathematics at Fuda University, then went to Xiamen University for postgraduate studies. He, along with Cai Qi, Huang Kunming, and Song Tao, are Fuda University alumni, while he shares alumni status with Vice Premier He Lifeng at the School of Economics at Xiamen University.
Vice Chairman of the Military Commission, He Weidong, is from Dongtai, Jiangsu, born in Nanping, Fujian, previously commanding the 31st Group Army stationed in Fujian; Miao Hua, member of the Central Military Commission, is from Rugao, Jiangsu, born in Fuzhou, with early years as the Political Commissar of the 31st Group Army, maintaining a good relationship with Xi Jinping.
It was previously rumored that Fang Yongxiang, who was expected to replace Zhong Shaojun as Director of the Central Military Commission General Office, was appointed as a member of the Chinese Communist Party Military Election Committee on September 13. Fang Yongxiang, from Tong’an, Xiamen, Fujian, had a long military career in the original 31st Group Army, and he is a candidate member of the 20th Central Committee.
On September 27 this year, Shen Danyang, Deputy Secretary of the Hainan Provincial Party Committee, was appointed as Director of the State Council Research Office. Shen Danyang, from Zhangzhou, Fujian, earned his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees at Xiamen University and is a candidate member of the 20th Central Committee.
The Hong Kong media Sing Tao Daily pointed out that Vice Premier He Lifeng, with undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees (in-service) all awarded by Xiamen University, contributing to the notion of a “Xiamen University gang” in official circles. Shen Danyang became Li Qiang’s “chief adviser,” with senior student He Lifeng likely playing a significant role in this.