Zhang Yingchun
A high-profile 1970s generation female leader of China, despite not being named as an alternate to the Central Committee. One of the top leaders of Xinjiang province, a highly strategic but sensitive region with vast natural resources.
Vice Chairman, Deputy Secretary of the Party Group and Member of the Standing Committee of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (2026 - Present); Deputy Secretary of the Party Group, Vice Governor, and Standing Committee Member of the Hunan CCP Provincial Committee (2022 - 2026); Secretary of Xiangtan City, Hunan (2021 - 2022); Deputy Secretary and Mayor of Xiangtan City, Hunan (2019 - 2021); Standing Committee Member of the CCP Changsha Municipal Committee, Hunan Province (2017 - 2019)
Titles Held
Born in 1970 in Hunan. Earned an associate degree from Hunan Normal University and a Master of Economics from the Central South University. Began her career as a teacher before transitioning to work for the Communist Youth League and the Youth and Children’s Department in Changsha, the capital of Hunan. Began her political career by joining the standing committee of Ningxiang County in Hunan before joining the Standing Committee of Changsha County. Became the Mayor of Yuhua District of and then the Secretary of Kaifu District of Changsha. Finally joined the Standing Committee of the actual Changsha City (not the county) in 2012, and then became Vice Mayor of Changsha in 2013. Transferred to the city of Xiangtan in Hunan in 2019, which she would lead by 2021. Promoted to Deputy Secretary and Vice Governor of Hunan province in 2022. Finally sent to Xinjiang in 2026, which is struggling to grow its economy under the weight of U.S. sanctions.
Biography
Sun Chunlan was a similar trailblazing female leader who was the top official in Fujian, Dalian, and Tianjin, all very important positions. Hua Guofeng, who was Mao Zedong’s successor, led Hunan in the 1970s. Ma Xingrui and Chen Quanguo, both former Party Secretaries of Xinjiang, served on the Politburo as well (although Ma was recently placed under investigation for corruption).