Party makes further provincial appointments

The Chinese Communist Party named Li Jianguo as party secretary of Shandong province while Qiang Wei has been appointed party secretary in Qinghai province, AP reported, citing state media. The promotions, announced Monday, are seen as a further move by President Hu Jintao to consolidate power ahead of autumn's party congress. They follow the appointment of Xi Jinping as party secretary in Shanghai – replacing the disgraced Chen Liangyu – over the weekend. Xi and Li both joined the Central Committee in 2002, the same year Hu was named party general secretary. Qiang was picked as an alternate member of the committee in 2002. Dali Yang, chair of the political science department at the University of Chicago said: "They are people who have promoted reforms in their positions, and they get things done." Xi is singled out as the rising star and is thought by some to be on course for elevation to the politburo standing committee this year.