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Xi Jinping ally takes up top job in Shanghai

Li Qiang, 58, comes from the president’s power base of Zhejiang and is described as a supporter of economic reforms

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Li Qiang has also become a member of the Politburo. Photo: Simon Song
Daniel Renin Shanghai
Beijing has named Li Qiang, a former top aide to President Xi Jinping, as the top boss of Shanghai – an appointment that will be key to realising its ambitions for the city.
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Li, 58, formerly the party secretary of Jiangsu province, replaced Han Zheng, 63, following Han’s elevation to the Communist Party’s top seven-member decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee, Xinhua reported on Sunday.

It comes after Shanghai revealed its plan to develop a free-trade port that is fully open to global business, much like Hong Kong’s.

According to Li’s biography, he enrolled in Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s executive master of business administration programme in 2003 and graduated two years later.

Li is a rising star from the so-called New Zhijiang Army – a clutch of officials from the president’s Zhejiang province power base appointed to posts in key departments of the party, the government and the army.

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Some of them – including Beijing party secretary Cai Qi, Chongqing party chief Chen Miner and Li – have taken seats on the 25-member Politburo.

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