Younger, well educated cadres needed

The Communist Party of China (CPC) will appoint younger and better educated county heads in the coming months to consolidate its ruling power at the grassroots level, it has been revealed.

The cadres, around the age of 45 and all holding bachelor's or higher degrees, will become secretaries of the county Party committees, or county-level Party chiefs, in the mainland's 2,861 counties for five-year terms of office.

Along with the appointment of new county Party chiefs, heads of county governments will also be elected this year and in early 2007, according to a schedule made by the National People's Congress in March last year.

"We should carefully test possible candidates before they replace the current leaders," He Guoqiang, head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, said in a recent speech.

The department has issued a document requiring that new county Party chiefs and magistrates be around 45 and have at least a bachelor's degree.

It says that candidates meeting these standards have a better chance of promotion, though another clause in the document states "other experienced cadres also have the possibility."

A deputy county head from Northeast China's Liaoning Province said in an interview with Xinhua that he "worries" about his career prospects as he is already 49. "The chance is slim for me to be promoted," he said.

However, ability is more important, said Wang Changjiang, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

"In terms of political structure, the county is an important base for economic development, social progress and political stability," he said.

"The ability to solve social problems is another important criterion for the selection of county heads."

China is witnessing many new social problems resulting from factors such as the widening income gap. "It is against this backdrop the document was issued," said Wang.

A survey by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee in 2004 showed that 35.7 per cent of officials above the county level believed they were "not competent enough to solve complicated problems."

The organization department will also take measures to prevent officials from seeking promotion through "irregular approaches" such as bribery.

In 2005, 334 officials were punished for seeking promotion illegally.

Source: China Daily