| Abstract | The nomination of two heads of China's largest petroleum corporations to Zhu Rongji's Cabinet is a reflection of the new prime minister's goals and methods, and a clear sign of the increasing power of the "petroleum faction". Zhou Yongkang, president of Sinopec, the enormous public corporation responsible for the refining sector, was put in charge of the State Economic and Trade Commission, and Sheng Huaren, president of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the mammoth enterprise responsible for onshore petroleum production, was chosen to head the new State Land Resources Ministry. These nominations clearly demonstrate Zhu's desire to rely upon a team of technocrats with experience in economic reform. The article talks about the significance of familiar figures in government corridors and the restructuring of the petroleum sector. |
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