A New Generation of Chinese Leaders

The “Sixth generation” leaders have surfaced in Chinese politics. They are the newest generation of Chinese leaders who will lead China in the 2020’s, following the upcoming fifth generation in 2012.

On December 19, Xinhua news agency and China Central Televison (CCTV) quoted Huashang News, and reported, “In the process of restructuring government and party cadre positions in preparation for the upcoming National People’s Congress in next fall, many young members who were born after 1960s were newly appointed.” They also introduced 20 high-profile members who are in their 30s and 40s.

This group of people that will replace the current leaders are mostly those in their late 30s and early 40s who were born in the 19660s and studied in college in the 1980’s, the early years of social opening in China. They are somewhat similar to the so-called “386 generation” of Korea.

Different from the fifth generation of Chinese leaders, who are in their 50s, they will be in control of China in the 2020s with the advent of the $10,000 GDP per capita era of China.

Having different regional and academic backgrounds on one hand, they share the same experience of studying and coming out to society in a relatively free atmosphere after the reform and opening of China started in 1978.

Now the leading candidates of the sixth generation are Hu Chun-hua, the secretary-general of the Chinese Communist Youth League, Zhou Qiang, the deputy mayor of Hunan province, and Sun Zheng-cai, the party secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Close to President Hu Jintao, and also quoted as “little Hu,” secretary-general Hu Chun-hua is the “Xizang man,” who volunteered to work for “Tibet Operation” in Xizang although he had been offered a position in Beijing due to his outstanding school record at Peking University.

President Hu had used excessive force to suppress the last demonstrations for independence in Tibet in March 1989. During the time, Secretary Hu gave him strong impression and was able to achieve fast career advancement.

Zhou Qiang, the youngest mayor in China, is a core figure in the Chinese Communist Youth League. He launched the Muqin River preservation movement and drew out the roadmap of college volunteer worker programs in Western provinces. The Zhongguo Qingnian travel agency has grown to one of the major travel companies under his leadership.

Secretary Sun, who was born in September, 1963, was promoted to a secretary-level position at the youngest age to the surprise of many. He is an expert on corn.

Yang Yue, First Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, Wang Xiao, Secretary of Secretariat of the Communist Youth League, and Lu Hao, deputy mayor of Beijing, all of whom are in their 30s, were also promoted to vice-president level positions.

orionha@donga.com