As China nears a 2012 transition to its fifth generation of leaders, the foundations are being built for the takeover of the sixth generation in 2022. In China, provincial leaders are the strongest candidates for key positions of national leadership. Most politicians at the national level have provincial experience, and former provincial leaders have historically held many seats in the Politburo's Central Committee. This phenomenon has become more prominent in recent years due in part to Beijing's effort to promote policies that are better suited for the regions and to strengthen regional loyalty toward the center. Beijing also is encouraging cross-regional leadership exchange and is increasingly putting officials in charge of provinces that are not their places of origin. The 25 newly appointed provincial chiefs, as well as 17 current provincial chiefs born after the 1950s (among a total of 62 provincial chiefs), are well suited due to age and political status for promotion during the fifth-generational leadership transition in 2012 and the leadership reshuffle in 2017, and some will also be strong candidates for the sixth-generational leadership transition expected to occur in 2022.
