The Composition of the Provincial Leading Teams: Trends and Implications

A large-scale provincial personnel reshuffle took place after the 18th Party Congress. This article examines the biographical information of cadres who were appointed as members of the provincial Party Standing Committee during the 2012–19 period. There is evidence that a relatively young, male-dominated and highly educated team of provincial personnel has formed. The ongoing political elite shift from narrowly trained technocrats to cadres with education backgrounds in the social sciences, humanities and management is also noteworthy.