The number of “post-80s” city government heads has increased to seven.

According to the Yingtao City Integrated Media Center, the 29th meeting of the 10th People’s Congress Standing Committee of Yingtao City decided on December 23, 2024 to appoint Wang Yaqing as the deputy mayor of Yingtao People’s Government. Zhang Zijian resigned from the position of mayor of Yingtao People’s Government and the decision was reported to the 5th Session of the 10th People’s Congress of Yingtao City for record. Wang Yaqing will act as the mayor of Yingtao People’s Government.

Previously, Wang Yaqing served as the deputy minister of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee Organization Department. Earlier, Wang Yaqing was publicly announced by the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee Organization Department as a candidate for the position of mayor of a district-level city.

Wang Yaqing, male, Han nationality, born in August 1981 in Lukang, Anhui Province, joined the Communist Party of China in November 2004, graduated with a Ph.D. in power engineering and engineering thermodynamics from the University of Science and Technology of China in July 2010, and is a senior engineer.

Wang Yaqing previously served as the deputy director of the Military Industry Department of the No. 38 Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, concurrent with the director of the Beijing Office, the deputy director of the Party and Government Office, the director of the Human Resources Department, and the deputy director of the institute. The No. 38 Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, located in Hefei, Anhui Province, is a key research institute for high-tech electronic equipment in China’s defense industry, known as the “national team” for China’s military electronics.

In 2020, Wang Yaqing was transferred to Jiangxi as a member of the Yingtao Municipal Standing Committee and deputy mayor. In 2021, he served as a member of the Yingtao Municipal Standing Committee and executive deputy mayor. In 2023, Wang Yaqing returned to serve as the deputy minister of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee Organization Department before being appointed to his current position.

According to The Paper’s review, there are now seven “post-80s” mayors who serve as the “top leaders” of prefecture-level cities in China, including Liu Kai in Gansu’s Jiuquan City, Wang Xipei in Hubei’s Ezhou City, Chen Kai in Xinjiang’s Karamay City, Li Ke in Henan’s Hebi City, Wu Zetong in Guangdong’s Zhuhai City, Liu Junyi in Shanxi’s Datong City, and Wang Yaqing in Jiangxi’s Yingtao City.

Public information shows that Liu Kai is male, Han nationality, born in July 1983 in Puyang, Henan Province. He joined the Communist Party of China in June 2002 and began work in July 2010 after graduating from Beijing University’s philosophy department with a Ph.D. degree. Liu Kai previously served as the secretary of Beijing Chaoyang District Communist Youth League Committee, the deputy director and then acting governor of Lingtai County in Gansu Province, and then as a member of the municipal Standing Committee and Lingtai County Party Committee secretary. In November 2021, he became the acting mayor of Jiayuguan City after serving as its deputy mayor.

Similarly, information about other “post-80s” mayors is also available. In addition, in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, four municipalities directly under the central government, there are also several “post-80s” cadres serving as heads of district governments including Liang Shuang in Beijing’s Huairou District, Liu Xiaodong who is acting governor of Changping District in Beijing currently, Guo Kangwei who is currently mayor of Baodi District in Tianjin, Zhi Lei who is currently mayor of Jing’an District in Shanghai and Fu Jiakang who is acting mayor of Nanchuan District in Chongqing at present time.