Why China is sending southern officials north to its rusting economic front lines

Since the start of the year, at least a dozen senior officials from central government ministries and the powerhouse provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong have taken up top jobs in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and Inner Mongolia, according to a tally by the South China Morning Post. These northern provinces were important engines of economic growth during the planned economy era as hubs for large state-owned enterprises in industries such as steel, cars, shipbuilding and military equipment. However, the region has been left behind in the global shift towards hi-tech industries and services.

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