NEW LEADERSHIP:Guo Jinlong (center) is elected as Party Secretary of Beijing Municipal Committee at the First Plenary Session of the 11th Beijing Municipal Congress of the CPC on July 3 CNS PHOTO

Gong said that due to massive advances in the higher education sector since the reform and opening-up in 1978, the new generation of officials had the chance to enjoy better education, noting that China's further development calls for administrators to have more professional experience in public governance and economic management.

Yang Yue, 44, the Party chief of Fuzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, is the youngest to become a member of the provincial-level Party committee, with an education background in engineering.

Sun Zhengcai, 49, Party Secretary of northeast China's Jilin Province, once worked as a researcher at Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, and was chief editor of the book Research on Corn Growing in 50 Years.

Sun has benefited from his strong background in a province that is a major producer of grains.

Zhu Congjiu, 47, who holds a master's degree of business administration specializing in banking, once served as the chairman's assistant of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. He was assigned in late May to east China's Zhejiang Province as a vice governor overseeing the finance sector.

Similarly, Tan Zuojun, former head of the China State Shipbuilding Corp., was transferred to oversee Liaoning Province, the heavy industry and shipbuilding base in northeast China.

The smooth leadership transition of local Party committees is a key step in paving the way for a smooth leadership transition at the 18th CPC National Congress, said Gong, adding that putting state-owned enterprise executives in important positions has shown that the new central leadership will continue to focus on the country's economic development.

"They can bring their useful experiences accumulated in managing an enterprise into social management and use their expertise to boost the local economy," he said.

"The reorganization is adapted to the future development of the CPC. It guarantees that the Party has the best talents to ensure governing capabilities and performances," Gong added.

Party Congress System

> The Communist Party of China (CPC) committees at central and local levels hold Party congressional elections every five years.

> The highest level is the CPC National Congress, the main functions of which are to elect members to the Central Committee and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

> Terms of these committees last a maximum of five years. The national congress hears and examines reports from these bodies.

>Members of the national congress traditionally meet in autumn, although this can be brought forward if the Central Committee deems it necessary or if over one-third of provincial-level committees request to do so.

> The CPC Central Committee meets in plenary sessions at least once a year, during which members of its Political Bureau will report and receive oversight.

> When national congress is not in session, the CPC Central Committee carries out its resolutions, directs the work of the Party and represents the CPC in its external relations.

>When the CPC Central Committee is not meeting, the Political Bureau and its Standing Committee exercise the body's powers.

> As well as congresses, Party committees at provincial, prefecture and county levels meet in plenary sessions at least twice a year.

(Source: Xinhua News Agency)