Chinese leaders shuffled in most populous province

February 8, 1983

China announced a leadership shuffle in Sichuan, the nation's most populous province and regarded as a pacesetter for national reform. The official New China News Agency said Yang Rudai, a member of the powerful Communist Party Central Committee, was among the new appointees replacing older officials. The agency said Sichuan was the first province to elect a new party committee since national party chief Hu Yaobang called in September for younger, more educated officials.