Wang Lixia (Chinese: 王莉霞; pinyin: Wáng Lìxiá; Mongolian: ᠸᠠᠩ
ᠯᠢ
ᠰᠢᠶᠠ
; born June 1964) is a Chinese politician of Mongol heritage, currently serving as deputy secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Inner Mongolia Committee and chairwoman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Government (equivalent of a provincial governor). In 2019, she was the only female party secretary of a provincial-level capital in China.[1] Prior to that, she served as party secretary of Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and director of the United Front Department of the CCP Inner Mongolia Committee from 2016 to 2019 and vice governor of Shaanxi from 2013 to 2016.

Wang Lixia
王莉霞
Wang in 2023
12th Chairwoman of Inner Mongolia
Assumed office
5 August 2021
Party SecretaryShi Taifeng
Sun Shaocheng
Preceded byBu Xiaolin
Communist Party Secretary of Hohhot
In office
31 August 2019 – September 2021
Preceded byYun Guangzhong
Succeeded byBao Gang
Head of the Inner Mongolia CCP United Front Department
In office
November 2016 – August 2019
Preceded byBu Xiaolin
Succeeded byDuan Zhiqiang
Mayor of Tongchuan
In office
January 2011 – January 2013
Preceded byFeng Xinzhu
Succeeded byGuo Dawei
Personal details
BornJune 1964 (age 60)
Jianping County, Liaoning, China
Political partyChinese Communist Party
Alma materLiaoning University
Xi'an Jiaotong University
Xiamen University

Early life and education

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An ethnic Mongol, Wang was born in Jianping County, Liaoning, in June 1964. She was accepted to Liaoning University in October 1981, and graduated with a degree in economics and planning statistics in September 1985. She earned her Master’s degree in economics from the Shaanxi Institute of Finance and Economics (now College of Economics and Finance, Xi'an Jiaotong University) in July 1988. After graduating, she began teaching at the Xi’an Institute of Statistics. She joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in December 1992. In July 2000, she earned her Ph.D. in economics from Xiamen University.[2]

Political career

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Wang began her political career in July 2000, when she was appointed deputy director of Shaanxi Provincial Statistical Bureau, and five years later promoted to the Director position. In January 2011, she was named acting mayor and deputy party secretary of Tongchuan, a prefecture-level city rich in coal. She was installed as mayor in April of that year. In January 2013 she was promoted to become vice-governor of Shaanxi, where she was responsible for commerce, health and family planning, opening up and Taiwan affairs.[2]

In October 2016, Wang was transferred to north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, where she was appointed director of the United Front Department of the CCP Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Committee and a member of the regional CCP Standing Committee.[3] On August 31, 2019, she was appointed Communist Party Secretary of the capital Hohhot, breaking precedent and ending a long line of party secretaries who were native to Inner Mongolia. The post was vacated a few months earlier when her predecessor Yun Guangzhong was placed under investigation for corruption.[2][4] In July 2021, she was appointed deputy party secretary and party branch secretary of Inner Mongolia.[5] On August 5, she was appointed chairwoman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region People's Government after Bu Xiaolin resigned.[6]

Wang was a delegate to the 12th National People's Congress and is a member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. She is an alternate member of the 19th CCP Central Committee.[7]

References

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  1. ^ 【关注】全国唯一!这位来自辽宁的女性中候补主政省会. thepaper.cn (in Chinese). 2019-09-01.
  2. ^ a b c Yue, Huairang (2019-08-31). "内蒙古自治区党委常委王莉霞兼任呼和浩特市委书记". The Paper. Retrieved 2019-09-02.
  3. ^ 内蒙古自治区党委常委王莉霞兼任统战部部长. thepaper.cn (in Chinese). 2016-11-29.
  4. ^ 内蒙古党委常委、统战部部长王莉霞任呼和浩特市委书记. ce.cn (in Chinese). 2019-09-02.
  5. ^ Lin Yunshi (林韵诗) (2 August 2021). 人事观察 接替布小林 王莉霞任内蒙古自治区政府党组书记. caixin.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  6. ^ Zhuang Yu (庄彧) (5 August 2021). 王莉霞任内蒙古自治区政府代主席 布小林辞去主席职务. ce.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  7. ^ 十九大受权发布:中国共产党第十九届中央委员会候补委员名单. xinhuanet (in Chinese). 2017-10-24.
Government offices
Preceded by Mayor of Tongchuan
2011–2013
Succeeded by
Guo Dawei (郭大为)
Preceded by Chairwoman of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
2021
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by Head of the CCP Inner Mongolia United Front Department
2016–2019
Succeeded by
Duan Zhiqiang
Preceded by Communist Party Secretary of Hohhot
2019–2021
Succeeded by