Engineers Expected to be Less Dominant in China's Social Engineering Program

While 10 years ago, engineers seemed to be the mainstay in China’s central government, it is now becoming apparent that China’s next generation of political leaders will be of a different breed. China’s future leaders will have noticeably different backgrounds, with talents who majored in economics, law, and social sciences, most of whom were pursuing higher education at the beginning of the reform and opening-up, taking the reigns of power

President Hu Jintao paid a special visit to Peking University, one of China’s earliest modern universities, on May 4^th 2008 to cerebrate its 110^th anniversary

Hu Jintao’s cabinet has seen an increasing number of Peking University graduates enter the decision-making circle; these include Vice-Premier Li Keqiang; Li Yuanchao, a Member of the all-powerful Politburo and head of the CPC Organization Department, and Bo Xilai, Secretary of Chongqing Municipal Party Committee. It is noticeable that current First Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, Lu Hao, and his predecessor, Hu Chunhua, also graduated from Peking University.

According to incomplete statistics, about 60 officials of or above the ministerial or vice-ministerial level, once studied at Peking University; most of them were born around the 1950’s

Peking University graduates also include Zhao Leji, Secretary of the Shanxi Provincial Committee of the CPC; Yuan Chunqing, Governor of Shanxi Province; Guo Gengmao, acting Governor of Henan Province; Cai Wu, Minster of Culture; and Leng Rong, Director of the Historical Research Center of the CPC Central Committee.

Deng Pufang, Son of Deng Xiaoping, current Chairman of the China Disabled Person’s Federation and Executive President of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, also graduated from Peking University. Peking University is famous for its literature, economics, and political studies departments. However, many political leaders in China’s decision-making circle graduated from Tsinghua University and other technical colleges. Hu Jintao himself graduated from the Hydraulic Engineering Department of Tsinghua University. Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, was his schoolmate. Premier Wen Jiaobao graduated from a geosciences college in Beijing. Jia Qingling, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political and Consultative Conference, once studied at an industrial school.

China’s ex-President Jiang Zemin graduated from Shanghai Jiaotong University, which is famous for its research in science and technology. The ex-Premier, Zhu Rongji, also graduated from Tsinghua University.

Since the 1990s, political leaders with engineering background have formed the core of China’s decision makers. But this trend is about to turn with social scientists replacing  engineers, and officials such as Li Keqiang and Li Yuanchao probably taking over as China’s top decision makers in the next government. This may be a better choice for China, as it is now facing many social and economic problems. These officials, who studied at the end of the 1970s, will better be able to understand the mentality of the Chinese people, having experienced China’s 30-years of reform and built their career from the grass-root.

However, China’s next president may still be an engineer. Xi Jinping who graduated from Tsinghua University’s Chemistry Department, is now acting as China’s Vice-President and is commonly regarded as Hu Jintao’s likely successor.

The days when Shanghai’s political leaders dominated the Central Committee are now past. It is now time for graduates from Peking University and Tsinghua University, both based in Beijing, to take the lead. Officials, who graduated from Shanghai-based universities that have historically been known for their strong technical and professional abilities, will more than likely serve as technical bureaucrats, occupying roles such as ministers. The current Minister of Health and the Minister of Science and Technology are respectively a doctor and a scientist from Shanghai.