Hu protégé promoted ahead of party congress

A protégé of President Hu Jintao will become Shanxi province's governor, marking a political comeback ahead of the critical party congress in mid-October, the South China Morning Post reported. Meng Xuenong, 58, was made deputy secretary of Shanxi province on August 30, and he will eventually be elevated to the governor's post once the provincial people's congress approves the move. Meng was demoted to deputy director of the department overseeing the South-North Water Diversion Project after the SARS epidemic in 2003. It was seen as a political compromise in an internal power struggle between the then-newly appointed secretary-general Hu and outgoing leader Jiang Zemin. On the day of Meng's promotion, the government announced the resignation of five ministers, including finance minister Jin Renqing and state security minister Xu Yongyue. These moves are likely to be part of an attempt by Hu to consolidate power ahead of the party congress. New appointments to the Politburo Standing Committee, will be announced during the congress, and a possible presidential successor could be among the newly promoted officials.