Xinhuanet reports that Yang Chuangtang, who had become governor of Qinghai province in early 2004, has now been appointed Party Secretary of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), the most powerful position in the province. With Yang being known as close to China’s paramount leader, Hu Jintao, this appointment confirms that Hu has placed Tibetan affairs under his direct supervision. Yang Chuantang replaces Guo Jinlong who has been transferred to the post of Party Secretary in Anhui province.
The possible promotion of Yang Chuangtang from Deputy Party Secretary to Party Secretary in the TAR was first rumoured in Spring 2003, but it did not happen at that time. This would have been singular since Guo Jinlong had at that point occupied the position for only about two and a half years. At present though, Guo Jinglong has been TAR Party Secretary for approximately 4 years, the customary term.
Instead, Yang Chuantang was appointed on Monday 20 October 2003 vice-governor (Chin: renmin zhengfu fu zhuxi) and acting governor (Chin: renmin zhenfu daili zhuxi) of the Qinghai province, which incorporates the greater part of the Tibetan region known traditionally as Amdo, thus making the appointment a transfer within the Tibetan areas of the PRC.
On 14 January 2004 then, the Standing Committee of the Qinghai Provincial People’s Congress appointed Yang Chuantang as Qinghai’s regular governor (Chin: renmin zhengfu zhuxi). This seemed to preclude Yang from being Guo Jinlong’s successor.
In keeping with most members of Hu Jintao’s personal network, Yang Chuangtang has been a member of the Communist Youth League, he attended the Party school, and he spent most of his career in the inner provinces of China. Yang was transferred to the TAR during Hu’s tenure as Party Secretary there.
