Talk of China’s future leaders usually revolves around those born in the early 1960s, such as Guangdong party boss Hu Chunhua and Chongqing chief Sun Zhengcai.

But lately, the focus has been shifting to the “liu wu hou” cohort ― those born in or after 1965 ― as more emerge in key Communist Party and government posts.

There are 15 now in the party committees governing China’s provinces and municipalities, making them a minority among the 400-plus provincial leaders nationwide.

Another four post-1965ers are promising young Turks too, thanks to their alternate membership in the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) decision-making Central Committee of 205 full and 171 alternate members.

They are Communist Youth League (CYL) chief Qin Yizhi, Tianjin vice-mayor Ren Xuefeng, China Academy of Electronics and Information Technology principal Wu Manqing ― all aged 48 ― and Cao Shumin, 45, principal of the China Academy of Telecommunication Research.

Observers say more attention needs to go to the post-1965ers, who are often overshadowed by the “liu ling hou” (post-1960) cohort led by Hu and Sun.

The high-powered duo, both born in 1963 and the youngest in the 25-member Politburo, are deemed front-runners to become future CCP chief or premier.

Bo Zhiyue, an expert on elite Chinese politics, says the post-1965ers ― whom he describes as the “sixth-and-a-half” generation ― could also take on important roles like provincial party chiefs or ministerial posts in their future careers, which could last till possibly age 67.

He also cited how the current Politburo comprises members of the “fifth generation” born between 1950 and 1954, and the “fifth-and-a-half generation” born between 1955 and 1959.

In fact, he described current Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang as the first “mixed-generation” leadership pairing, given Xi’s 1953 birth year and Li’s in 1955.

“China may pick another mixed-generation pairing, so it is important to pay more attention to the “half-generation” groups and cultivate ties with them early too,” said the analyst at Singapore’s East Asian Institute.

Professor Li Cheng of the Brookings Institution in Washington says there are uncertainties over the potential of these young leaders because of possible changes in how China picks its top future leaders.

“But assuming that it doesn’t change, these young leaders are certainly well positioned for bigger things,” he told The Straits Times.

After all, some are already political stars, due to their past experiences in the CYL, the CCP’s youth wing, which has produced top leaders like Premier Li.

One example is Wang Xiao, 45, the newest among the 15 young provincial leaders. He surfaced late last month in media reports as western Qinghai’s new vice-governor and a member of its party committee.

Wang is a high-flier: his past concurrent roles as CYL executive secretary and All-China Youth Federation president place him on the same career track as former Chinese leader Hu Jintao.

Fuzhou city boss Yang Yue, 48, a member of coastal Fujian’s party committee since 2008, shares the same career path as Hu too, having held the same two posts from 2006 to 2008.

Another star is north-eastern Heilongjiang governor and deputy party boss Lu Hao, 46. The former Beijing vice-mayor was the CYL chief from June 2008 until he took on his current jobs after China’s national legislature session in mid-March.

Lu is the only one among the post-1965ers to hold a ministerial-level grade and sit on the Central Committee as a full member.

North-western Gansu’s disciplinary chief, Zhang Xiaolan, 47, stands out too as the only woman among the post-1965ers.

The CYL alumna was appointed one of Gansu’s vice-governors in 2008 but entered the provincial party committee only last year.

Singapore’s Minister of State Teo Ser Luck said he was impressed when he met Zhang and Wang in 2009 and 2010 as then chairman of the People’s Action Party youth wing.

“Zhang Xiaolan struck me as a very sharp person, who understood the country’s pressing issues, while Wang Xiao is a very people person,” said Teo.

By Kor Kian Beng

Kor Kian Beng is the China bureau chief at The Straits Times. ― Ed.

(The Straits Times)

(Asia News Network)