Shenzhen’s new party boss has taken the wheel but can he deliver ahead of Apec?

As the new Communist Party chief of China’s southern manufacturing hub Shenzhen, Jin Lei is facing his first major test as the city prepares to host the Apec leaders’ summit in November. Beijing is seeking more cooperation with the bloc in areas like artificial intelligence, and the key regional forum is an opportunity to show the potential in tech-driven Shenzhen, where Jin took the helm last month. In recent weeks, the 56-year-old economist and former Sichuan official has been focused on preparations for the gathering, including tackling a long-standing problem in the city – the millions of electric scooters, many used for deliveries, that cause mayhem on the streets. Jin took over from Meng Fanli, who is now governor of Guangdong province. Jin’s appointment was announced on March 22 – nearly six months after Meng was promoted and just after China’s annual legislative session and the next five-year plan for socioeconomic development to 2030 was unveiled. That could suggest the significance of the job given that Shenzhen will soon play host to a line-up of leaders at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that may include US President Donald Trump. It also comes as Beijing is seeking to position itself as a global governance leader and after President Xi Jinping said it would “vigorously” push for cooperation with the bloc in areas including AI and the digital economy. “Located on the Pacific coast and adjacent to Hong Kong, Shenzhen has transformed from a backward fishing village into a modern international metropolis in just a few decades,” Xi said when announcing the city would host the Apec summit. “Together with surrounding areas, it forms the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, which can be considered a growth pole of the world economy.” Beijing’s plan for the bay area is to turn nine cities in Guangdong, as well as Hong Kong and Macau, into an integrated economic and innovation hub. Shenzhen is an important part of the scheme since it is home to tech giants such as DJI, Tencent and Huawei Technologies and has sought to become a leader in cutting-edge technology for drones, telecoms and software. Jin has been reviewing preparations for the Apec talks, vowing to “resolutely fulfil this major political mission and fully serve the overall national diplomatic strategy”. He said he aimed to “host a successful conference and elevate the entire city”. One of Jin’s first tasks is to crack down on the e-scooters that clutter the streets. The gig economy and demand for delivery services has seen a spike in the number of e-bikes in Shenzhen – there are now more than 6 million registered, according to the latest publicly available information. That proliferation has brought increased mobility but also dangerous behaviour as riders weave through traffic while pedestrians have to navigate a mess of bikes on footpaths. There have long been restrictions on e-bikes in Shenzhen: they are prohibited in Tier 1 areas; they can be used only for delivery and logistics in Tier 2; and they are banned during certain hours in Tier 3 areas unless they are being used to collect or drop off students. From this month, the Tier 1 areas where e-bikes cannot be used will be expanded to include key sites for the Apec event including the Shenzhen International Exchange Centre and the Shenzhen Financial Culture Centre. When China hosts an international conference or event it is often seen as an opportunity for local authorities to tackle urban issues. For example, ahead of the 2008 Olympics massive infrastructure projects were rolled out in host city Beijing including expansion of the subway system and factory relocations. And in 2014, strict emission controls were brought in to achieve clear blue skies in the Chinese capital for the Apec summit. Peng Peng, executive chairman of the Guangdong Society of Reform, a think tank affiliated with the Guangzhou government, noted that it was the first time for Shenzhen to host such an important international summit. “This will be a key task for the city for the upcoming period,” Peng said. “The meeting will also greatly promote Shenzhen’s international image and even bring economic benefits.” Jin has experience working in tech-focused cities, having previously served as deputy party chief of Zhengzhou, Henan province, where Foxconn Technology assembles most of the world’s iPhone handsets for US giant Apple. Most recently he was party secretary of Deyang, in Sichuan – another key industrial city – and a provincial standing committee member. In his first weeks in the Shenzhen job, Jin has visited the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park and the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. He also met Cheng Fubo, chairman of Aviation Industry Corp of China, the country’s leading aircraft maker.

Shenzhen’s new party boss has taken the wheel but can he deliver ahead of Apec?

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Jin Lei is focused on preparations for the regional summit, including tackling the long-standing problem of e-scooters

Jin Lei is focused on preparations for the regional summit, including tackling the long-standing problem of e-scooters