Also 'Jeujangsinjun'... Chen Min'er of China Expected to Be Appointed as Tianjin City's Top Leader

Cheon Min-eol (陳敏爾), Secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Kim Hyun-jung] According to a report by the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 17th, Tian Min'er, Party Secretary of Chongqing and a close associate of Chinese President Xi Jinping from Zhejiang Province known as the 'Zhijiang New Army (之江新軍),' is expected to be appointed as the Party Secretary of the major port city Tianjin. It is explained that although Tian was not promoted to the Politburo Standing Committee in Xi Jinping's third term, he secured a position as a leading candidate for the next leadership by taking the Party Secretary post in Tianjin.

Tian is a representative 'Zhejiang' network figure who served as head of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department from 2002 to 2007, during which Xi served as Party Secretary of Zhejiang Province. Notably, Tian is known to have written the drafts for columns that Xi published under a pen name in the Zhejiang Daily for four years. Tian's hometown is Zhejiang Province, where he spent about 30 years.

In a research note published early last month by the Brookings Institution in the United States, John L. Thornton, director of the China Center, described Tian as "one of Xi Jinping's most trusted subordinates." He further explained, "Tian was a key figure who substantially assisted with the weekly columns Xi published in local party newspapers." During this process, Tian ardently supported Xi's governance ideology and was promoted to Party Secretary of Guizhou just one month after Xi assumed the presidency. The research note cited Tian's major achievements as poverty alleviation in Guizhou, environmental protection, big data development, e-commerce, and promotion of innovation.

Considering his rapid promotion, many overseas analysts once predicted Tian as Xi's successor. Alfred Wu, a professor at the National University of Singapore, stated, "Xi Jinping heavily relies on his former colleagues, especially those from Fujian and Zhejiang provinces," and explained, "Tian Min'er is highly likely to reach the top leadership team (Politburo Standing Committee) at the next Party Congress."

He added, "(This appointment) enriches Tian's governance experience," and analyzed, "If Xi serves more than four terms, he will continue to need loyalists around him and must prepare for the next leadership reshuffle."