China puts industry minister in charge of key semiconductor hub Anhui province

Chinese industry minister Li Lecheng, a veteran of the country's semiconductor industry, has been appointed to lead Anhui province, a key hub for the sector. The 61-year-old, who has held the post of industry and information technology minister since April 2025, has been appointed party secretary of Anhui and a member of its standing committee, replacing Liang Yanshun.

Liang, who has been the party chief of Anhui since June 2024, retains his role as party secretary of the provincial legislature. Li is renowned for his work in transforming Xiangyang, a city in central Hubei province, into a major industrial center. Prior to his tenure in Xiangyang, Li served in various capacities within the industry, eventually becoming party secretary of Xiangyang in 2017.

During his time in Xiangyang, he established the Hubei Free-Trade Zone, attracting global companies such as Dongfeng, Nissan, and Huawei Technologies. Li's career began in mechanical manufacturing after he graduated from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 1984. Since then, he has risen through the ranks, serving in various roles including technician, head of technology development, factory chief, general manager, and chairman.

He was appointed party secretary of Xiangyang in 2017, where he focused on developing high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy vehicles, big data, cloud computing, and commercial logistics. Li's recent appointment demonstrates the importance of the semiconductor industry in China's technological self-reliance and modernization efforts.