Jin Lei

Jin Lei, a 56-year-old economist and veteran official, has been appointed as the new Communist Party chief of Shenzhen, China. This appointment, announced in late 2024, comes nearly six months after the previous party boss was promoted to provincial governor. Prior to this role, Jin Lei held a position in the southwestern region of China, gaining experience in areas sometimes referred to as 'iPhone City'. His appointment is newsworthy as Shenzhen, a major manufacturing and tech hub often called China's Silicon Valley, is preparing to host the APEC leaders’ summit in November. This event presents Jin Lei with his first major test, requiring him to demonstrate Shenzhen's technological potential and facilitate Beijing's goals for increased cooperation with APEC in areas like artificial intelligence. His leadership is therefore significant in shaping Shenzhen's future and its role in China's broader economic and technological strategy.