The first municipal party standing committee meeting

Inside the municipal party standing committee conference room, nearly everyone attending had arrived. Li Dakang entered punctually, his secretary close behind with a drinking cup and briefcase.

Seeing Li Secretary Dakang enter, the comrades present rose to greet him. Smiling, Li Secretary Dakang nodded to everyone and waved for them to sit.

After his secretary arranged his cup and documents in front of his seat, Li Secretary Dakang cleared his throat. "Comrades, I just took a call from the provincial party committee, which held me up for a few minutes. Let us formally begin."

Everyone knew that today's standing committee meeting was primarily about personnel appointments and removals.

The two big shots had already reached a tacit understanding, and both the secretary's working meeting and the five-member group had reached agreement. Bringing it before the standing committee now was merely going through the motions, but they could not help feeling a little nervous. This was a settling of accounts for the recent turmoil, and another confirmation of the balance of power.

After Secretary Li Dakang announced the agenda, Organization Department Director Zhou Minze held the proposed cadre reassignment plan and introduced the candidates for each position and the findings of their assessments to the standing committee members.

During Zhou Minze's presentation, Municipal Party Secretary Li Dakang occasionally asked a question or two about an individual cadre's service history or details of the assessment procedures, demonstrating his command of the agenda and respect for procedure.

When discussion began, Lin Yanzhou first acknowledged the Organization Department's preparations. "Director Minze's proposals for the various positions are fairly comprehensive. These comrades are generally in the prime of their lives, and their political qualities and professional abilities have undergone a certain amount of testing in practice."

"Based on how well the requirements of each post match the cadres' strengths, I personally lean toward Comrades Zhao Fuwang, Liu Yongning, Luo Yong, and several others. Their individual abilities, work experience, and overall qualities align more closely with the responsibilities of the corresponding positions. I believe they will be better able to fulfill their duties."

When Lin Yanzhou finished, Li Dakang turned his gaze toward Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Zhang Shuli. Zhang Shuli understood his meaning. "I agree with the candidates Mayor Yanzhou has specified. The commission has also conducted rigorous integrity reviews of these candidates. So far, we have found no violations of integrity rules among these comrades, nor have we received any substantiated complaints or reports involving them. All meet the integrity requirements for appointment."

The full-time deputy municipal party secretary and Organization Department Director Zhou Minzhe also spoke in succession, both endorsing the candidates Lin Yanzhou had specified for each position. They considered these candidates superior to the other two candidates in every respect, and mentioned that thorough deliberations had already taken place at the secretaries' consultation meeting and the five-member group meeting. They believed the move met the needs of strengthening the municipal leadership team and served the broader interests of development.

Li Dakang spoke last. "Comrade Yanzhou has broadened our horizons in selecting and appointing personnel, helping replenish our cadre ranks with fresh blood in a timely manner. This approach deserves recognition. I support the candidates he has proposed."

Lin Yanzhou naturally understood that Li Dakang was both honoring the consensus reached in their earlier discussions and displaying his confidence in controlling the overall situation: arrangements for key posts reflected the will and strategy of the dominant party.

Finally, after the secretary and mayor had spoken in turn to set the tone and the various parties' views had converged, Organization Department Director Zhou Minzhe received Li Dakang's signal and delivered his concluding statement:

"Comrades, based on the standing committee's discussion and decisions just now, the final candidates for each position are as follows. I will clarify their basic circumstances once again."

"First, we propose promoting Comrade Zhao Fuwang, director of the Municipal Finance Bureau, and nominating him for deputy mayor, subject to approval by the provincial party committee. This comrade is politically steadfast, familiar with economic work and financial administration, and possesses a strong grasp of the bigger picture. He has achieved outstanding results in coordinating the city's financial resources and ensuring the construction of key projects."

"Second, we propose promoting Comrade Zhang Yongning, deputy director of the Municipal Finance Bureau, to secretary of the bureau's party leadership group and bureau director. This comrade has excellent professional skills and a solid working style. His many years in the financial system have given him extensive experience, enabling him to ensure continuity and stability in the work."

"Third, we propose promoting Comrade Luo Yong, deputy director of the Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, to secretary of the bureau's party leadership group and bureau director. This comrade possesses strong professional abilities and the courage to shoulder responsibility, and performed exceptionally in advancing the tough battle against pollution in the Qingshui River."

"Fourth, we propose appointing Comrade Chen Mo, director of the First Division of the Municipal Government General Office, to the Guangming District Party Standing Committee and as deputy secretary of the party leadership group, and nominating him for deputy district head. This comrade possesses strong overall qualities, broad vision, and excellent coordination skills, making him suited to gaining experience in a key grassroots position."

"Fifth, we propose appointing Comrade Zhou Zhiming, chief of the General Affairs Section of the Municipal Party Committee General Office, to the Qinghua District Party Standing Committee, and nominating him for deputy district head. This comrade has solid writing skills, a relatively strong grasp of policy and theory, and a meticulous working style."

"Sixth, we nominate Comrade Cheng Du, party committee secretary and director of the Guangming District Public Security Bureau, for deputy head of Guangming District. This comrade has a solid working style and a firm political stance, and took initiative and shouldered responsibility during the Qingshui River pollution incident."

"Seventh, we propose promoting Comrade Luo Feifei, deputy general manager of the Municipal Water Company, to general manager. This comrade is an outstanding professional cadre in a municipally administered enterprise, understands business operations, is skilled in management, and has a good performance record."

Li Dakang looked around before speaking. "That is the situation. Following the Liu Fengming case, vacancies appeared in the relevant positions. Promptly selecting capable cadres is necessary to ensure continuity and stability in our work. The Organization Department has done a great deal of work and conducted fairly thorough assessments, and everyone has just deliberated on the candidates. Let us hear everyone's final views. If there are no objections, we will vote by a show of hands."

His gaze swept seemingly casually across the room, yet carried an invisible pressure.

Ding Yizhen, deputy mayor and secretary of the Guangming District Party Committee, spoke first, as though afraid anyone might not know how firmly he supported the secretary and mayor's decision. "I fully agree with this list! Secretary Dakang and Mayor Yanzhou have considered everything very thoroughly. In particular, outstanding comrades have been added to the two key areas of environmental protection and finance. This provides powerful support for advancing our Guangming Peak Project and for the city's overall development! I have no objections!"

Next, the executive deputy mayor, United Front Work Department director, Publicity Department director, municipal party committee secretary-general, and others who had not offered opinions during the discussion of candidates spoke in turn, all saying they had "no objections" and "agreed with the Organization Department's assessment."

When it was Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission Secretary Sun Haiping's turn, he said, "I know most of the comrades on this list. These appointments genuinely meet our work requirements, and I agree in principle."

"However, regarding Comrade Cheng Du's nomination for deputy district head, I would like to say a little more. This comrade's professional ability, particularly the resolve and results he demonstrated in investigating the Liu Fengming case, are plain for all to see and deserve recognition."

"Still, considering that the post of deputy district head requires more comprehensive planning and coordination skills, might directly promoting Comrade Cheng Du into the district government leadership be a slightly hasty step? Would allowing him more experience in his current position, or first transitioning him into another general administrative post to familiarize himself with the work, be more prudent for his long-term development?"

Sun Haiping's remarks directly established his position. As a representative figure of Handong University's political science and law department in Jingzhou City, his relationship with Li Dakang was more one of professional cooperation. He viewed the failure to fully consult him beforehand on the promotion of an important political and legal affairs cadre as disrespect for his authority. His move was intended to remind everyone present that appointments of political and legal affairs cadres should not bypass the Political and Legal Affairs Commission.

His deliberate expression of a different view both fulfilled the commission's supervisory duties and demonstrated the standing committee's "democratic decision-making" process to outsiders. No one could say anything against it; instead, it showed that Jingzhou's standing committee was a democratic one.

Lin Yanzhou was about to explain, but Li Dakang had already taken up the thread, wearing a faint smile of approval:

"Comrade Haiping's concerns are very reasonable. Exercising strict scrutiny is indeed a responsible attitude toward our comrades, and deserves our attention."

"However, specific circumstances require specific analysis. Comrade Cheng Du has worked on the public security front for many years, gaining experience in several key positions, including criminal investigation and economic crime investigation. His political qualities are sound, and his professional abilities are plain for all to see. In particular, in solving the Liu Fengming case, he demonstrated the ability to shoulder responsibility and tackle tough challenges under complex circumstances."

"Guangming District is currently at a critical stage of development, with considerable pressure on public security and stability maintenance. This is precisely when we need cadres like Cheng Du, with drive and practical experience, to break new ground. We advocate that 'achievement earns position.' For cadres who make outstanding contributions in urgent, difficult, dangerous, and demanding assignments, we must dare to break convention and give them a bigger stage. This in itself signals our approach to appointments: valuing practical work and actual results."

"Of course, this is still only the nomination and recommendation stage. Ultimately, it must go through the statutory election procedures of the people's congress. That in itself is also an important process of testing and recognizing a cadre."

Li Dakang settled the matter with one decisive stroke, both acknowledging Sun and completely blocking any possible challenges. He had deftly recast "promotion" as a "policy direction," making it difficult to refute.

Sun Haiping smiled faintly and said no more beyond, "Since Secretary Dakang knows him so well, I have no objections either."

As always, the military subdistrict commander chose to abstain. "I have no objections."

Finally, everyone's eyes fell on Lin Yanzhou.

As mayor, he was the direct superior of most of the cadres on this list, making his attitude crucial.

"I fully agree with this appointment and removal plan. These adjustments have undergone thorough deliberation and rigorous assessment, taking continuity into account while also injecting fresh vitality. In particular, the municipal government urgently needs capable personnel to break new ground in departments concerned with the economy and people's livelihoods, such as urban construction, environmental protection, and finance. I believe the newly appointed comrades will settle into their roles quickly and live up to the organization's trust."

Li Dakang concluded, "Since no one has any objections in principle, we will now vote on this personnel appointment and removal plan by a show of hands."

His gaze swept across the room once again, taking in every standing committee member's expression. There were no unexpected obstacles.

Apart from the military subdistrict commander, who abstained, every standing committee member-including Sun Haiping, who had raised a slight question earlier (use this name throughout from now on; the original name coincided with another name and was prohibited)-raised a hand in approval.

Passed unanimously.

"No one has any objections. The Organization Department should complete the relevant procedures as soon as possible, ensuring the cadres take up their posts and the work continues seamlessly."

The sounds of documents being gathered and chairs shifting softly filled the conference room.

Li Dakang had already begun laying out the next agenda item, his tone so ordinary that it seemed they had merely approved a routine work report.

Yet Lin Yanzhou, seated to Li Dakang's left, lifted his teacup, using the motion of drinking to conceal the shock within him.

The entire process had flowed like drifting clouds and running water, so smoothly it was suffocating. From the secretary's working meeting and the five-member group meeting to the standing committee meeting, Li Dakang's will had been implemented without the slightest dilution.

Every step, every person's remarks, seemed to fall within his expectations and control.

Ding Yizhen's flattery, Sun Haiping's measured "challenge" and swift compliance, the other standing committee members' unanimous approval-all of it resembled a symphony rehearsed long ago, with the conductor's baton held firmly in Li Dakang's hand throughout.

Lin Yanzhou had originally thought that through his maneuvering, he had at least gained the capital to begin contesting with Li Dakang on his own small patch of municipal government turf. Now, however, he realized he had been wrong, and rather wildly so.

At his very first standing committee meeting, he discovered that Li Dakang's control over Jingzhou was comprehensive, without a single blind spot.

Whatever influence he permitted you to have had to rest on his tacit consent or even his authorization. If he could allow your people to rise, he naturally had plenty of ways to keep them from moving an inch. Apart from the military subdistrict commander and Sun Haiping, everyone on the standing committee obeyed him. Except for provincially administered cadres, whoever he wanted promoted was promoted, and whoever he wanted removed was removed.

No wonder, after the previous mayor fell, the provincial party committee let Li Dakang shoulder both party and government leadership for nearly half a year, delaying the appointment of a new mayor. This was not an oversight. They knew full well how complicated Jingzhou was and how dominant Li Dakang was. They needed time to weigh their options, and someone with sufficient stature who also knew how to behave to occupy this position.

Coexisting with such an opponent, maneuvering against him, or even attempting to stand on equal footing with him was far more difficult and perilous than he had imagined upon first arriving.

The standing committee meeting ended, and everyone began leaving.

As Li Dakang passed Lin Yanzhou, he stopped as though suddenly remembering something and remarked casually, "Mayor Yanzhou, once the new cadres take up their posts, they need to familiarize themselves with the situation as quickly as possible. In particular, the Guangming Peak Project must not be affected. If you run into any difficulties, come to me anytime."

His tone was calm, even carrying a trace of concern. But Lin Yanzhou heard the meaning beneath it: I have given you the people; you must get things done properly for me; and everything remains under my watch.

"Rest assured, Secretary Dakang. The government will spare no effort," Lin Yanzhou stated solemnly.

Now that he had seen how deep the waters ran, the next step was to weave his own net with greater patience.