Li Dakang

Biodata

Background

Li Dakang rose from secretarial work and became one of Zhao Lichun’s most successful former secretaries. Over years in Jingzhou, he built a network linking influential departments and municipal leaders to his authority 15 16 18.

After the previous mayor, Wu Xiongfei, fell, Li shouldered both Party and government leadership for nearly half a year before Lin Yanzhou’s appointment. By Lin’s arrival, Li’s control of the municipal standing committee made him the dominant figure in Jingzhou 17.

Personality

Li is forceful, direct, and accustomed to controlling decisions. He reacts angrily when Lin Yanzhou’s project freezes threaten the city’s development agenda, but usually preserves a restrained public manner. At Lin’s welcome banquet, his praise combines an offer of cooperation with an elder’s condescending appraisal and a warning about Handong’s complicated circumstances 4 12 14.

Political advancement strongly shapes his priorities. He hopes Jingzhou’s economic achievements will carry him into the governorship and carefully protects his reputation from scandals involving subordinates. Nevertheless, he is pragmatic enough to recognize weaknesses in his own approach, reassess overlooked officials, and cooperate with a rival whose methods promise better results 10 32 34 36.

Abilities & Skills

Political and Personnel Control

Li’s strongest institutional advantage is his command of Jingzhou’s municipal Party leadership 16 17.

• Standing committee management: Secures approval of personnel appointments and neutralizes Sun Haiping’s objection to Cheng Du’s nomination 17.
• Appointment leverage: Lin recognizes that his newly appointed allies remain dependent on Li’s consent, limiting their independence 18.
• Control of investigations: Uses the discipline inspection commission to reclaim initiative during the Qingshui River crisis while directing investigators to consider stability and the city’s public image 12 14.

Economic Administration

Senior leaders acknowledge Li’s drive and ability to manage the economy, but criticize his development philosophy 1.

• Strengths: Pursues large projects and rapid economic growth; Liu Fengming credits his leadership with keeping Jingzhou ahead in provincial economic indicators 4.
• Weaknesses: Places excessive emphasis on GDP and construction, with insufficient attention to environmental costs, living standards, and development quality 1.
• Long-term risks: Lin’s review finds that the Guangming Peak model relies heavily on property development and consumes fiscal and financial resources needed by future administrations 34.

Political Adaptability

Li adjusts his position when he sees a credible route to better results or recognizes a change in higher-level support 34 46.

• Reconsiders Sun Liancheng after reviewing evidence of his practical achievements in public security, education, and workers’ petitions 32.
• Gives Lin operational freedom over Guangming Peak after recognizing the value of his more sustainable development model 34 36 39.
• Moves toward Sha Ruijin after Lin explains that Zhao Lichun’s political future has already been decided 46 47.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Provincial Succession and Lin Yanzhou’s Arrival

• Rejected for provincial leadership: Central leaders consider Li as Zhao Lichun’s successor but reject him because of his GDP-centered approach and neglect of development quality. He is nevertheless described as a strong contender for governor 1.
• A challenging new partner: Li hosts Lin Yanzhou’s welcome banquet. Liu Fengming’s toast reinforces loyalty to Li’s existing course, while Lin signals that continuity will not prevent scrutiny of development problems 4.
• An early political probe: Li recognizes Lin’s intervention over polluted residential tap water as a deliberate test of Jingzhou’s political situation 7.

Qingshui River Investigation

• Guarded support: Through his secretary, Li instructs Zhao Donglai to follow Lin’s requirements, observe procedures, and preserve stability—especially the interests of the Guangming Peak Project 10.
• Discipline inspection intervention: Lin’s citywide suspension of new projects forces Li to act. Although furious at the freeze, Li orders Zhang Shuli to investigate pollution-related dereliction of duty and improper transfers of benefits 12.
• Pressure to investigate further: Li initially seeks to keep the inquiry within bounds. When Lin suspends investment approvals and funding and offers to present deeper findings to the standing committee, Li permits further investigation while continuing to stress stability 14.
• Selective handling of findings: Li orders swift, severe action against Liu Fengming but excludes unverified leads involving Ding Yizhen from the formal report 15.

Personnel Settlement and Growing Scrutiny

• Negotiated appointments: Li invites Lin to recommend officials for vacant leadership and departmental posts. The resulting standing committee meeting approves the personnel slate and demonstrates the extent of Li’s control 15 17.
• Ding Yizhen becomes a liability: A redevelopment-funds inquiry uncovers links involving Ding’s relatives and suspicious transactions. Li orders evidence against Ding to be secured secretly; Zhang Shuli conceals the Jingzhou City Bank lead from the report presented to him 23.
• Reassessment of Sun Liancheng: Rather than support Ding’s complaint about Sun’s cooperation with Lin’s side, Li upholds the district coordination meeting’s outcome. Reviewing Sun’s record then makes him recognize that he had undervalued a capable, practical official 32.

Cooperation over Guangming Peak

• Strategic partnership: After hearing Lin’s provincial-government presentation, Li concludes that their cooperation could produce high-quality development and strengthen his own bid for governor 33 34.
• Transfer of responsibility: Li gives Lin coordination and top-level design authority over Guangming Peak, initially leaving implementation to Ding. He also agrees to provincial- and municipal-level investigations into Ding 36.
• Backing Lin’s authority: Li requires Ding to obey Lin’s cleanup-funding instructions and insists that the responsible companies pay within five working days 37 39.
• Ding’s loss of power: An investigation initially finds no conclusive evidence of Ding’s personal corruption. Nevertheless, Li subsequently approves Lin’s redistribution of Ding’s government responsibilities, leaving Ding with titles but no practical municipal-government authority 39 41.
• Continued cultivation: Li later reassures Ding that the reshuffle protects cadres and promises him a promotion opportunity if he helps complete Guangming Peak 43.

Alignment with Sha Ruijin

• Provincial endorsement: Sha publicly supports Jingzhou’s revised Guangming Peak plans, easing Li’s concerns 45.
• Break with expectations for Zhao: Li initially worries that approaching Sha will invite political speculation. Lin’s account of Zhao Lichun’s impending appointment to a minor CPPCC post persuades him to abandon hopes of Zhao’s resurgence 46.
• Joint declaration of support: Li and Lin brief Sha together. Sha interprets their cooperation as a political alliance and a move toward his leadership, contrasting it with Gao Yuliang’s refusal to approach him 47.
• Further pressure over Ding: Gao calls an emergency meeting involving Li after Chen Hai attempts to arrest Ding without completed authorization, following Zhao Dehan’s confession implicating Ding in bribery 50.

Relationships

• Lin Yanzhou — Fellow municipal leader, initially a rival and later a strategic partner. Li respects Lin’s economic thinking and seeks to benefit from both his results and his powerful connections 4 34 36.
• Zhao Lichun — Former superior and political patron. Li belongs to Zhao’s secretarial network but moves toward Sha Ruijin after learning that Zhao’s prospects have collapsed 18 46 47.
• Ding Yizhen — Carefully cultivated subordinate and trusted ally. Li initially limits the handling of unverified allegations against him, then supports investigations and the removal of his practical authority 15 36 41.
• Ouyang Jing — Wife, associated with Jingzhou City Bank. Investigative leads vaguely point toward her, and her resistance to transferring court-enforced cleanup funds leads Lin to regard her conduct as a danger to Li’s career 23 43.
• Zhang Shuli — Municipal discipline inspection secretary who reports sensitive findings to Li and receives his instructions on investigative scope and handling 12 14 15.
• Sun Liancheng — District head whom Li previously criticized and underestimated. Sun’s documented achievements prompt Li to reconsider that judgment 30 32.
• Sha Ruijin — Incoming provincial Party secretary whom Li approaches jointly with Lin, signaling a new political alignment 46 47.
• Gao Yuliang — Rival in provincial politics. Li believes cooperation with Lin will strengthen his position against Gao; their subsequent choices place them on different sides of Sha’s arrival 34 47.

Notable Quotes

“Development and stability are the overall priority!” 14

“Between the two of us, one will steer the direction and the other will handle the actual operation.” 36

“As long as the results are moving in the right direction, I'll support you in everything.” 36