Wed Apr 02 11:00:00 UTC 2025: **Top Chinese Officials Swap Key Government Posts in Surprise Reshuffle**

HONG KONG – In a surprising move, China has reportedly swapped the heads of two of its most powerful government departments. According to the Hong Kong-based Sing Tao Daily, Shi Taifeng, head of the United Front Work Department (UFWD), has been appointed as the new Minister of the Organization Department (OD), while Li Ganjie, the former OD minister, will now lead the UFWD.

Both Shi and Li are members of the Politburo and the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The unexpected swap was reportedly confirmed following a Politburo meeting chaired by CCP General Secretary Xi Jinping on March 31st. While state media reported the meeting addressed various matters, the Sing Tao Daily cited sources indicating the personnel changes were finalized at that meeting.

The OD, responsible for personnel management and appointments of senior officials, is considered one of the most powerful departments within the CCP. The UFWD, meanwhile, oversees relations with non-CCP groups, including representatives from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, religious communities, and the private sector. Its power significantly increased in 2018 when several other government bodies were merged into its structure.

Shi, 69, has a long history in party affairs, including a 25-year tenure at the CCP Central Party School, where he served as vice-president under Xi Jinping. His career also includes roles as mayor of Suzhou, governor of Jiangsu province, and party secretary in Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and finally, head of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Li, 61, is a nuclear expert with a background in environmental protection. He held various ministerial positions before becoming Governor and then Party Secretary of Shandong Province.

Sources cited by the Sing Tao Daily note that while internal personnel adjustments are common in the CCP, a swap at this high level is highly unusual, leaving many observers surprised. The reshuffle involves three of the CCP’s most influential departments: the OD, the Propaganda Department, and the UFWD.

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